Kanwar Yatra eateries row: The Supreme Court on Monday (July 22) imposed an interim stay on directives passed by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names of owners. The top court said that the shop owners need not show their name or identity in front of their shops. The court also directed the shop owners to only display the kind of food being prepared -- 'veg or non-veg'.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh governments while seeking their replies on the pleas challenging the directive. he Supreme Court said that the food sellers must not be forced to serve names of owners, staff employed. The Supreme Court has fixed the next date for hearing on July 26.
"We deem it appropriate to pass an interim order prohibiting the enforcement of the above directives. In other words, food sellers may be required to display kind of food, but must not be forced to display names of owners, staff employed," the bench said while posting the matter for further hearing on Friday.
What happened at the hearing?
Earlier, during the hearing, petitioners’ counsel told the Supreme Court that it’s a worrying situation where police authorities are taking it upon themselves to create a divide. "Minorities would virtually be identified and subjected to economic boycott. Apart from UP and Uttarakhand, two more states have joined. Supreme Court asks was it a press statement or a formal order that these have to be displayed?" the petitioners’ counsel said.
Petitioners’ counsel replied that earlier there was a press statement and then there was a public outcry and they say it’s a voluntary but they are strictly enforcing it. Counsel said there is not a formal order but police taking strict action. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for a petitioner says it’s a camouflaged order.
Senior advocate CU Singh representing a petitioner said that the bulk of the people are very poor vegetable and tea stall owners and will have economic death on being subject to such economic boycott. "We have faced bulldozer actions on not complying," he said.
Supreme Court told Singhvi that let us not narrate the situation in such a way that it's more exaggerated that what is on the ground. These orders have dimensions of safety and hygiene also.
Singhvi said Kanwar Yatras have been happening for decades and people of all religions including Muslims, Christians and Buddhists help them on their way. Now you are excluding.
Singhvi said that there are a lot of pure veg restaurants run by Hindus and they may have Muslim employees, can I say I will not go there and eat because the food is somehow touched by Muslims or Dalits? Singhvi added that the directive says "swechha se" (by will) but where is swechha? If I disclose, I am damned and if I do not, I am damned.
Supreme Court asked if the Kanwariyan also expected the food that food should be cooked by owner of a particular category.
What was the plea?
The top court was hearing pleas filed by the NGO Association of Protection of Civil Rights, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, and others challenging the directive.
In her plea before the top court, Moitra sought a stay on the orders passed by the two state governments, stating that such directives exacerbate discord between communities.
The Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments had issued orders asking eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners.
Additionally, the BJP-ruled Ujjain Municipal Corporation directed shop owners to display their names and mobile numbers outside their establishments in the ancient city.
Violators will face a Rs 2,000 fine for the first offence and Rs 5,000 for the second, Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal said on Saturday.
This order is aimed at ensuring safety and transparency and is not intended to target Muslim shopkeepers, the mayor said. Ujjain is known for its sacred Mahakal temple, attracting devotees from around the globe, especially during the Sawan month, which starts on Monday.
Extensive arrangements have been made across several states for the Kanwar Yatra, which started on Monday with the beginning of the Sawan month in the Hindu calendar. During this period, lakhs of Shiva devotees carry holy water from the Ganges in Haridwar to their homes, offering it at Shiva temples along the way.
(With agencies input)
