Shafaqna India: An order by the Muzaffarnagar district police in Uttar Pradesh, mandating that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route display the names of their owners to avoid any “confusion,” has been criticized by opposition parties as being “commonly motivated and discriminatory against Muslim traders.”
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera denounced the order as “state-sponsored bigotry,” while AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi likened it to apartheid and the “Judenboykott” of Jewish businesses in Nazi Germany.
Muzaffarnagar police chief Abhishek Singh stated on Monday that, as preparations for the Sawan month began, eateries including hotels, dhabas, and carts along the 240 km Kanwar Yatra route were required to display the names of their proprietors or staff. Singh emphasized that the intent was to avoid confusion among kanwariyas and prevent potential law and order issues, adding that compliance was voluntary.
The order followed a July 9 statement by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) secretary general Bajrang Bagra, which alleged that Muslims were selling puja items at Hindu pilgrimage sites while concealing their identities. The VHP urged state governments to prevent Muslims from running such shops to avoid offending Hindu sentiments.
In response, Khera criticized the order as a form of state-sponsored discrimination and called for a united stand against it. Owaisi condemned it as akin to apartheid and historical boycotts.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav labeled the order a “social crime” and urged courts to take suo motu cognizance, questioning the effectiveness of such measures in distinguishing between shop owners.
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale lodged a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the Muzaffarnagar police, calling the order discriminatory.
In defense, BJP leaders argued that India’s secularism should not be threatened by a uniform order requiring eateries to display names. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya pointed out that similar practices in Mumbai did not face criticism, while senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi cautioned against letting such orders foster untouchability.
