At present, shopkeepers are not required to put up ‘nameplates’ on the Kanwar Yatra route. The Supreme Court has ordered to abolish the obligation to install nameplates. But this matter is not over yet. Now a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court in support of the ‘nameplate’. The petitioner says that an attempt is being made to forcefully give a communal color to this matter. He has also demanded that he himself be made a party to this issue.
Supporting the instructions of Muzaffarpur Police, petitioner Surjeet Singh Yadav says that the instructions to install the nameplate have been given for the convenience of Shiva devotees, their faith and to maintain law and order. In the petitions filed in the court, an attempt has been made to give it a communal color without any reason.
Shopkeepers did not file petition
The petitioner says that those who filed the petition in the court on this issue are not the shopkeepers, but those who want to give it a political color. Citing the fundamental rights of Shiva devotees, the petitioner has demanded that he be made a party in this issue and his side be heard.
What did SC say in the order?
During the hearing on this issue, the Supreme Court has said that it is appropriate to pass an interim order to stay the implementation of the above instructions. Food vendors, including dhaba owners, fruit vendors, hawkers, may be required to display the type of food or ingredients, but should not be forced to reveal the identity of the owners. At present, the Supreme Court has also issued a notice to the governments of UP and Uttarakhand. The court said that if the petitioners add other states, notice will be issued to those states also.
What is the whole matter?
In fact, last week the Muzaffarnagar Police had instructed all the eateries located on the Kanwar Yatra route to put up the nameplates of their owners. Later, the Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath implemented this order in the entire state. Uttarakhand government had also issued an order in this regard. This step of the Yogi government was criticized not only by the opposition but also by other parties including NDA allies JD(U) and RLD.
The opposition had alleged that the order was communal and divisive and aimed at targeting Muslims and Scheduled Castes (SCs) by forcing them to reveal their identities. However, BJP, which is in power in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, had said that this step has been taken keeping in mind the law and order issues and religious sentiments of the pilgrims.