Amid the row in Uttar Pradesh, the Haridwar Police Administration also issued an order for restaurant owners to display names on the Kanwar Yatra route…reports Asian Lite News
Opposing Uttar Pradesh’s government’s directive for food shops to display their owners’ names along the Kanwar Yatra route, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) and Rashtriya Lok Dal Chief Jayant Chaudhary said on Sunday that it doesn’t appear to be a well-thought-out and well-reasoned decision.
Echoing similar views as Janata Dal (United), the RLD chief is also averse to the decision of identifying people and pointing them.
Notably, Jayant Chaudhary is a part of the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre and his party, RLD, holds important significance in western Uttar Pradesh.
Jayant told ANI, “It doesn’t appear to be well thought out and well-reasoned decision. Any decision shouldn’t cause harm to the sense of well-being of the community and harmony in the community. All those who go on Kanwar yatra and people who serve them, all are same. This tradition has been there from starting and no one saw who was serving them. This thing of identifying people and pointing out them, I couldn’t get that.”
Amid the row in Uttar Pradesh, the Haridwar Police Administration also issued an order for restaurant owners to display names on the Kanwar Yatra route.
Earlier, another ally of the NDA, JDU asked the Uttar Pradesh government to review the Muzaffarnagar order or to take the order back.
Speaking to ANI, Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi said that a Kanwar Yatra bigger than this (in UP) takes place in Bihar.
“A Kanwar Yatra bigger than this (in UP) takes place in Bihar. No such order is in effect there. These prohibitions that have been imposed are in violation of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ that the PM speaks of. The order is not in effect in Bihar nor in Rajasthan and Jharkhand. It would be good if it is reviewed. This order should be taken back,” KC Tyagi told ANI.
Samajwadi Party chief and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the move and urged the court to take suo-motto cognizance on the matter.
The Kanwar Yatra, which originates from Kumbhnagari Haridwar, stands as a beacon of Hindu-Muslim harmony.
Each year, during the month of Sawan, millions of Shiva devotees flock to Haridwar to collect the sacred waters of the Ganga. Remarkably, the Kanwars that these devotees carry on their shoulders are crafted with meticulous care by Muslim families in the Haridwar district, who dedicate many months to this labour of love.
Months before the Kanwar fair commences, the Muslim community immerses itself in the preparation of Kanwars. This craft is a family affair, engaging everyone, from the eldest members to women and children, who work tirelessly day and night.
“We have been doing this since childhood. It brings me joy to be deeply involved in serving Bhole Baba. We craft all types of Kanwars and Dolis, feeling a great sense of fulfilment both while creating and sharing them. Our hearts connect and we are all one,” said Istkar, a Kanwad artisan.
“I have been doing this for 15 years, and it brings me great joy. We also create Ravana effigies. It’s all about love and brotherhood; the entire Hindu community is like family to us,” said Abrar, another Kanwad artisan. (ANI)
After UP, MP orders display names, mobile numbers of shop owners
The Madhya Pradesh government has asked the people associated with hotels and eateries or have shops to display their names and mobile numbers prominently outside their business establishments.
The state government’s order follows a similar directive by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh for eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route.
The Madhya Pradesh government has said they will implement the new directives in the holy city of Ujjain.
“The owners of shops, hotels, eateries and others in Ujjain city have been asked to display their names and mobile numbers outside their establishments, which should be clearly visible from the outside. A penalty of Rs 2,000 will be imposed on violators for the first time and Rs 5,000 if they defy the order for the second time,” Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal said.
Ujjain Mayor said that the order is in accordance with the Madhya Pradesh Shop Establishment Act or Gumasta License and is being implemented to enhance customer safety.
“Ujjain is a religious and holy city and the people have a right to know about the shopkeeper whose services they are availing. If a customer is dissatisfied or cheated, knowing the shopkeeper’s details allows them to seek redress,” Tatwal added.
Sources said that the local administrations in some other cities in Madhya Pradesh have also planned to adopt the same process and have started pushing the state government.
Some local BJP leaders have also demanded Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to make the display of shop owners’ names and mobile numbers mandatory across the state.
BJP MLA from Indore-2, Ramesh Mendola has written to the Chief Minister and urged him to make it mandatory for all shopkeepers to display their names outside their shops in Indore.
“The name of any person is his identity. A person is proud of his name. Asking for the name is the customer’s right and the shopkeeper should be proud to tell his name and not be ashamed,” Mendola wrote in his letter.
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