Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s new directive released on Friday requires all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display the names of their owners. The decision, aimed at preserving the religious sanctity of the pilgrims, has invited backlash from both opposition leaders and members of the ruling NDA. They worry that this move could exacerbate religious tensions. 

Claiming the advisory to be unconstitutional, National President of Bahujan Samaj Partn Mayawati said on ‘X’, “The order issued by the UP and Uttarakhand governments to the traders on the Kanwar route to prominently display the full names of the owners and staff on their shops and to ban the sale of meat is completely unconstitutional for electoral gains.” 

She asserted that this has been done to economically boycott people of a particular religion. Mayawati said that the move is very condemnable. 

Meanwhile, Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took to social media ‘X’ and wrote in Hindi, “Hasty orders of some over-zealous officials may give rise to the disease of untouchability. Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be patronised. Don’t ask about birth or caste, what is the caste and lineage. Raidas, all are sons of the Lord, none are of low caste.” 

Despite many BJP leaders supporting the order, Naqvi shared a photograph of himself participating in the Kanwar Yatra, asserting that he needed no lessons from anyone about respect and faith in the pilgrimage. 

After facing criticism from various parties, the Muzaffarnagar administration on Thursday revised its order, making the display of owners’ names at eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route voluntary. However, on Friday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath escalated the directive, mandating that all eateries and food carts along the route statewide must display the owners’ names.