Kanwar Yatra: BJP allies join opposition in criticising shop name display order; force fresh order

BJP allies JD(U) and RLD, along with senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, joined Opposition parties on Thursday, 19 July in questioning a police order in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. The directive, which required shops and carts on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners, sparked widespread criticism.

The Indian Express reported that the order, following demands from a local BJP MLA and a prominent Hindu seer, prompted a fresh advisory from Muzaffarnagar police on Thursday, 18 July. This new advisory clarified that shop owners could display their names and those of their employees “of their own will.”

This controversy comes as NDA ally the JD(U), who has 12 MPs and remains a crucial partner in the Narendra Modi government, following the BJP's failure to secure a majority in the recent Lok Sabha polls raised questions.

Defending the initial police order, the BJP stated that it allowed fasting Hindus, who might seek pure vegetarian restaurants, to have a choice ensuring they receive Satvik food.

JD(U) leader K C Tyagi told the Indian Express that the Kanwar Yatra takes place across various states, including Bihar, UP, and Rajasthan, without communal issues. He pointed out that communal harmony could suffer from such directives and noted that Muslim artisans are also involved in the yatra preparations.

RLD spokesperson Anil Dubey also questioned the need for such a directive, stating that while security arrangements are essential, the administration should not mandate name displays on shops.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a former BJP Lok Sabha MP, took to social media to criticise the hasty order, warning that it could promote untouchability. He asserted that faith should be respected without fostering social divides.

The Muzaffarnagar administration's revised advisory urged shop owners to voluntarily display their names, citing past instances where food sellers' misleading shop names caused confusion among devotees, leading to law and order issues.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Saharanpur range) Ajay Kumar Sahni explained that the decision aimed to prevent problems related to shops selling non-vegetarian food or misrepresentation of shop owners' community identities. He added that proprietors had willingly agreed to the name displays.

The Samajwadi Party was among the first to criticise the police order, with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav calling it "a social crime aimed at dividing society" and urging the judiciary to investigate the intent behind the order. Yadav welcomed the revised advisory as a victory for unity and harmony.

Congress's Media and Publicity Department head, Pawan Khera, suggested the order was discriminatory against Muslims and Dalits, questioning whom the "economic boycott" targeted. He argued that specifying dietary preferences should not extend to revealing the identities of food providers.

BSP chief Mayawati also called for the immediate withdrawal of the directive, warning that it could spoil the harmonious atmosphere.