Kapil Sibal: With the holy month of Sawan coming closer, starting July 22, the move of the Uttar Pradesh government to install nameplates at food shops along Kanwar Yatra routes has raised political temperatures. A fierce debate has been ignited over the decision with opposition led by senior Supreme Court lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal raising their concerns openly against it.
Unnecessary Political Distraction
Sibal slammed the nameplate mandate as a move that diverts attention from various burning national issues during a press conference. He mentioned that this sort of politicking serves no purpose in the development of India and only steals the limelight from other more serious economic and political issues. “The politics over the Kanwar Yatra is a diversion,” said Sibal. “The Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Chief Ministers should desist from raising such issues that lead to political controversies rather than addressing the concerns of the common man.
Sibal termed it an “unnecessary complication” to the Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage of sacred significance. There was no need to bring in bureaucratic interventions; devotees knew where their food was located. “This decision will only escalate controversy, endanger people’s lives and adversely affect local businesses,” Sibal warned. It further said that the timing of this decision, when elections are due in three states in some months, is aimed at stirring political sentiments for electoral gains.
Unnecessary Political Distraction
Furthermore, Sibal called on the government to shift its focus towards more pertinent issues like unemployment, which he feels should be handled and given priority over administrative steps of this nature. His remarks also highlighted the growing unease among some political figures and citizens at large against the present government’s way of conducting public events and administrative decisions.
