UP defends Kanwar Yatra order before Supreme Court, says ‘idea is to bring transparency, ensure peace’

The government of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, July 26, defended its directive requiring eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route in the state to display the names of their owners and staff, saying the idea behind the rule was to ensure peace during the religious yatra. The Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government said the idea was to bring in “transparency,” avoid “potential confusion,” and ensure a “peaceful yatra.”

Appearing before the Supreme Court that was hearing petitions challenging the Kanwar Yatra order, the UP government said similar arrangements are made during Muharram and Eid, when movement of pigs is also restricted.

“…the State is obliged not to discriminate on the grounds of religion. Hence, during the festivals of all communities, both majority and minority, special attention is bestowed by the State. For instance, traffic restrictions are in place all over the State during the holy festivals of Muharram and Eid (in fact, as is well known, arrangements are made for village fairs for the sale and purchase of goats during that period).”

“Even the movement of pigs is restricted, as it would offend the religious sensibilities of the minority community, which by and large, consider pigs unclean and do not partake of pig meat,” the government said.

The government also informed the Supreme Court that the directive was brought n after complaints from Kanwariyas to help them make an “informed choice.”

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, told the bench that the regulations under the Central Law Food and Safety Standards Act, 2006, require that every food seller, including 'dhabas', must display the names of the owners.

Hearing arguments from all sides, the Supreme Court extended its interim order, staying directives issued by the authorities of certain state governments that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route should display the names of the owners outside such shops.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti granted time to the Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh governments to file their responses to the pleas.