Kanwar Yatra 2024: In a significant ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court put a temporary stop to the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand government’s directives asking shop owners to display nameplates outside their establishments during the Kanwar Yatra. The court is set to hear the matter again on July 26.
Supreme Court’s Intervention
The Supreme Court’s bench, including Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti, ordered an interim stay on the directives issued by the BJP-led states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The orders had required eateries and shops along the Kanwar Yatra routes to display the names of their owners and staff, which the opposition criticized as an attempt to promote religious discrimination.
Opposition’s Reaction
Congress, along with other opposition parties, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision. Pawan Khera, head of Congress’ media and publicity department, expressed relief, stating, “We welcome the stay given by the Supreme Court on the completely unconstitutional orders by the Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh governments. This was unconstitutional, and the Congress, along with the entire opposition, opposed it.”
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav took to social media platform X, saying, “It should be written on a new ‘name-plate’: Harmony prevails!” Similarly, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad wrote, “The honourable Supreme Court has stayed the Hitler-like order of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji. The decision strengthens the principle that there will be no discrimination of any kind on the basis of the Constitution. The Constitution has won. We welcome the decision. Down with communalism, long live brotherhood.”
The Row Over Nameplate Directives
The controversy erupted after the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand directed shop owners along the Kanwar Yatra routes to display nameplates with the owners’ names, staff details, and food type (vegetarian or non-vegetarian). The opposition alleged that this move was aimed at targeting Muslims and Scheduled Castes by forcing them to reveal their identity.
Even the BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) joined the chorus against the directives, with opposition parties vowing to raise the issue in Parliament. They described the orders as “communal and divisive.” However, the BJP defended the directives, stating that the measures were taken to ensure law and order and to respect the religious sentiments of the Kanwar pilgrims.
Supreme Court’s Notice
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, where similar directives were issued by the Ujjain municipal body. The bench suggested that while eateries might need to indicate whether they serve vegetarian or non-vegetarian food, the requirement to display personal details of owners and staff goes too far.
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