Kanwar Yatra directive was to ensure peaceful completion, greater transparency: UP Govt to SC

New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing petitions challenging its directive regarding the display of the names of shop owners on the Kanwar route.

In its affidavit, the UP government said that the directive was issued to ensure a peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra and to ensure greater transparency.

The government said that the idea behind the directive was 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 accidentally, fall foul of their beliefs, the UP government said.

“Such situations would obviously lead to flare ups where lakhs and crores of people are walking barefoot carrying holy water,” affidavit of UP government stated.

The affidavit was filed on a batch of petitions challenging the directive issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarnagar, in Uttar Pradesh, to shop owners to display their names outside shops during the Kanwar Yatra season. The police had said that the decision was in the interest of law and order.

The directive was reportedly enforced across many districts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh also came up with similar directives.

On July 22, the Supreme Court had put an interim stay on directives issued by authorities of State governments that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route should display the names of the owners outside such shops.

The apex court had also issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, where Kanwar Yatra takes place.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti will resume the hearing of the case today.

In it’s affidavit, the UP government stated that the requirement of mere transparency, with prominent disclosures of the names of the operators of the eateries and the type of food they serve, is certainly “not discriminatory or restrictive at all.”.

The UP government said that the state has imposed no ban or prohibition on the trade or business of the food sellers (except the restriction on selling non-vegetarian food), and they are free to conduct their business as usual. “The requirement to display the names and identities of the owners is merely an additional measure to ensure transparency and avoid any potential confusion among the Kanwariyas,” the affidavit added.

“Past incidents have shown that misunderstandings regarding the type of food being sold have led to tensions and disturbances. The directives are a proactive measure to avoid such situations,” the UP government told the Supreme Court.

It said the directive was issued solely in the interest of ensuring a peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra, in which more than 4.07 crore Kanwariyas participate annually.

The petitions were filed by Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Delhi University Professor Apoorvanand, and activist Aakar Patel. They have challenged the directives, saying they’re causing religious discrimination and questioned the source of the power of the authorities to issue such directions.

Last week, the Uttar Pradesh government asked the food and beverage shops along Kanwar Yatra routes to display the name and identity of the operator/owner of their establishments.