New Delhi: A big decision of the Supreme Court has come out in the matter of installing name plates by shopkeepers on the Kanwar Yatra route. The Supreme Court has put an interim stay on the government's decision to install name plates on the Kanwar route and said that shopkeepers do not need to disclose their identity. Apart from this, the court has also issued a notice to the UP, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh governments and has sought a reply by Friday.
The bench was hearing a plea filed by an NGO, the Association of Protection of Civil Rights, challenging the Uttar Pradesh government's order.
Then what will the shopkeepers have to tell?
The Supreme Court said that shopkeepers will only have to tell the type of food whether it is vegetarian or non-vegetarian. The next hearing of the name plate case will be on July 26.'
During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the order was issued without legal authority, describing it as a "camouflaged" directive.
"This is a disguised order concerning the Kanwar Yatra. Those who do not disclose their names will face fines. We are discussing shops located over thousands of kilometers, primarily tea stalls and some fruit vendors. This represents economic devastation," he stated.
Exclusion by identity: Singhvi
Singhvi emphasized the broader implications of the issue, noting, "When you choose a restaurant, it's based on the menu, not the identity of the server. This directive promotes exclusion based on identity, which contradicts the vision of our republic as outlined in the Constitution."
'People of all religions help Kanwariyas'
Singhvi said that yatras have been happening for decades and people of all religions were helping Kanwariyas during their yatra.
"It's about identity inclusion. The order was issued without any authority of law. What can be the rationale behind this nexus between aims and objects of giving a name and eating at restaurants?" he said.
'Order lacks statutory support'
CU Singh, an advocate representing the NGO, stated that the order lacked statutory support and served no practical purpose.
"This has never been implemented before. It has no legal foundation. No law empowers the Police Commissioner to enforce such a directive. Requiring every tea stall and roadside shop to display the names of employees and owners is pointless," he remarked.
Last week, the Muzaffarnagar Police mandated that all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route display the names of their owners. Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Yogi Adityanath, expanded this order statewide, with the governments of Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh also adopting similar measures.
Some allies within the NDA had also opposed
This initiative faced criticism not only from the Opposition but also from some allies within the NDA, including JD(U) and RLD.
The Opposition claimed that the directive regarding eateries is "communal and divisive," suggesting it aims to target Muslims and Scheduled Castes (SCs) by compelling them to disclose their identities.
In contrast, the BJP, which governs Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, asserted that the measure was implemented with a focus on maintaining law and order and respecting the religious sentiments of pilgrims.