‘Displaying eatery owners’ names on Kanwariya route aims to protect religious sentiments,’ UP govt tells SC

Kanwar Yatra nameplate row: The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday, filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, opposing petitions challenging its directive regarding the display of names of shop owners on the Kanwar route, and said the directive was to ensure a peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra and to ensure larger transparency.

The Yogi Adityanath led government said the order was issued so that individuals could make an informed choice about the food they eat, during the yatra.

"It may be noted that the idea behind the directives is transparency and informed choice of the consumer/Kanwaria regarding the food they eat during the period of the Yatra, keeping in mind their religious sentiments so that they don't,even accidently, fall foul of their beliefs," read the affidavit.

The UP government further held the view that such situations “would obviously lead to flare ups where lakhs and crores of people are walking barefoot carrying holy water.”

Taking a meal unwittingly, in place of some other intended food, could, “for the Kanwaria, vitiate the entire Yatra, peace and tranquillity in the area, the maintenance of which, is the bounden duty of the State,” further stated the affidavit.

In addition, the affidavit also stated that there have been have “flareups and altercations on the Kanwar Yatra route with respect to onions and garlic being served at the eateries,”in the past few weeks.

On July 22, the Supreme Court had stayed Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police's order asking eatery owners along the Kanwar Yatra path to display names of owners and the staff employed by them. The top court had declared that the state government's orders were discriminatory.

The apex court was hearing a plea by an NGO that challenged the orders issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand government. The order directed shop owners and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners. Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti heard the plea filed by the NGO - Association of Protection of Civil Rights.