The Supreme Court of India will hear a petition filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights on Monday (July 22), challenging the Uttar Pradesh government's directive for eateries on the Kanwar Yatra Route to display the names of their owners and outlets.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti will consider the matter on Monday after the plea was first filed on July 20 at 6 am, demanding the cancellation of the order, which the opposition also claims fosters division and discrimination, particularly against Muslim vendors.
About the order
The controversy over displaying the names of food vendors first erupted after the Muzaffarnagar police issued a directive asking eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners and employees. The police cited the decision as a measure to ensure law and order during the Kanwar Yatra.
However, the directive faced severe backlash, leading the Muzaffarnagar Police to update the directive, making the display of names voluntary. But despite this, the backlash continued, and later the Uttar Pradesh government extended the controversial order across the state, drawing further criticism from the opposition as well as the few members of the ruling NDA also.
'I absolutely do not support it'
It is pertinent to note that, Union Food Processing and Industries Minister Chirag Paswan on Friday (July 19) joined a list of NDA allies, including the JD(U) and RLD, in questioning the order.
Speaking to a news agency about the contentious issue, which has triggered sharp criticism and debate among political leaders and community members, the three-time Lok Sabha MP from Bihar, Paswan, said, "I will absolutely never support or encourage any divide in the name of caste or religion."
"Whenever there is such a divide in the name of caste or religion, I absolutely do not support it or encourage it. I do not think any educated young person of my age, irrespective of the caste or religion they come from, is affected by such things," he said.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra moves SC
Meanwhile, it is important to note that Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has also moved the Supreme Court against the directives by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names of their owners.
In her plea before the top court, the TMC MP has sought a stay on the orders passed by the two state governments while citing that such directives aggravate discord between communities. Notably, the plea is yet to be listed for hearing.
