UP CM orders eateries on Kanwar yatra route to display owners' names

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Friday (July 19) issued an order for all eateries on the Kanwar yatra route to display the names of their owners.

As per the order, every restaurant, roadside dhaba, and even food cart will have to display the name of the owner.

The chief minister said the decision has been taken to preserve the “sanctity” of Kanwar pilgrims.

Similar directive in Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand police also issued a directive asking eateries along the Kanwar yatra route to display their owners’ names.

Speaking to the media, Haridwar’s Senior Superintendent of Police Pramod Singh Dobal said, “All those who operate hotels, dhabas, or street food stalls have been ordered to display the proprietor’s name, QR code, and mobile number at their establishment. Those who fail to comply will face strict action and will also be removed from the Kanwar route.”

Adityanath’s directive comes a day after the Muzaffarnagar Police in Uttar Pradesh revoked their earlier order of a similar nature, making it “voluntary” for eateries to display their owners’ names.

The police revoked its earlier order after facing a backlash from opposition parties, who said it targeted Muslim traders.

Opposition to police orders

On Thursday (July 18), Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav slammed the Muzaffarnagar police order, calling it a “social crime”, and appealed to the courts to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.

Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati also hit out at the order and asked for it to be withdrawn.

The Congress slammed the order as “an assault on India’s culture”.

India's secularism not so fragile: BJP 

The BJP defended the police order, saying it allowed fasting Hindus who may want to eat at a pure veg restaurant, where the likelihood of them being served Satvik food is higher, a choice.

BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya said on X, “India’s secularism can’t be so fragile that a uniform order asking all eateries to display name and contact number of the owner / workers should disrupt it.”

May spread disease of untouchability: Naqvi 

Senior BJP leader and former union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, in an apparent reference to the order, said on X, “The hasty orders of some overzealous officials may spread the disease of untouchability…Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be encouraged.”

(With inputs from agencies)