UP Police Promoting Untouchability, Says Owaisi: Why Directives to Display Vendor Names Have Sparked Controversy

Muzaffarnagar- Activists, politicians, and journalists have strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh police's recent directive that requires vendors to display their names prominently along the Kanwar Yatra route.

The directive has been labelled discriminatory and divisive by various groups including the Samajwadi Party and the Bharat Adivasi Party.

The controversy erupted as the one of the largest pilgrimage, the Kanwar Yatra, began, prompting the administration to manage arrangements. Last year, Swami Yashveer Maharaj, the head of the ashram in Baghra, Muzaffarnagar, accused Muslim owners of hotels and roadside eateries along National Highway 58 of naming their establishments after Hindu deities and demanded action against them.

This year, Swami Yashveer Maharaj once again met with administrative officials, insisting that the names of Muslim hotel owners be prominently displayed in bold letters. Uttar Pradesh government minister Kapil Dev Agarwal also directed administrative officials to ensure that Muslim owners' names be displayed on hotels and eateries.

As the Kanwar Yatra 2024 begins, all hotel and eatery owners along the route have been instructed to display their names in bold letters. Additionally, Muslim vendors operating fruit carts along the Kanwar route have been ordered to post lists with their names.

Senior Superintendent of Police in Muzaffarnagar, Abhishek Singh, stated that the Kanwar Yatra has commenced and covers approximately 240 kilometers in the district.

Instructions have been given to all food vendors, hotel owners, and cart operators to display their names to avoid any confusion or allegations that could lead to law and order issues. Swami Yashveer Maharaj has thanked the administrative officials for their cooperation in this effort.

UP Govt is promoting untouchability- Asaduddin Owaisi

This move has been widely criticized by various party leaders, activists and humanitarians, who have condemned it as discriminatory.

BSP supremo Mayawati tweeted, "The new government order for all the hotels, dhabas, and cart shopkeepers along the Kanwar Yatra route in western UP and Muzaffarnagar district to prominently display the full name of the owner is a wrong tradition that can spoil the harmonious atmosphere. The government should immediately withdraw it in public interest."

AIMIM chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi also criticized the directive, stating, "As per the order of the Uttar Pradesh Police, now every food shop or cart owner will have to display his name on a board so that no Kanwadiya buys anything from a Muslim shop by mistake. This was called Apartheid in South Africa and in Hitler's Germany, it was called 'Judenboycott'."

Author and senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai posted on Twitter, "Story that caught the eye: so now, food sellers/hawkers in UP along the Kanwar Yatra route have been given strict instructions by the police to reveal their names on their hand carts/shops/restaurants. In effect, a signal that no food be purchased from Muslim-owned shops! In South Africa, such practices once defined ‘apartheid’. Sabka saath, sabka vikas anyone?"

Dr. Jitendra Meena, spokesperson for the Bharat Adivasi Party, wrote, "Hitler had similarly marked Jewish houses and shops in Germany. At that time, it was considered a normal event and ignored, later leading to millions being sent to gas chambers. A similar situation is unfolding in India. If you don't speak out now, when will you?"

Following the Muzaffarnagar police's directive, some have put up signs with names like "Arif Aam Wala" and "Gupta Juice Wala."

However, Muzaffarnagar police have stated that this decision is not intended to display any kind of religious discrimination but rather to ensure that the Kanwar Yatra is completed peacefully.

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the UP government. He wrote:

"Fruit and vegetable vendors and restaurant/dhaba owners along the Kanwar Yatra route will now be required to display their names on boards.

▪️Is this a step towards the economic boycott of Muslims, Dalits, or both? We don't know.

▪️Those who wanted to dictate what people could eat are now trying to determine who can buy from whom.

▪️When this move was opposed, they argued that there is no opposition when 'halal' is written on dhaba boards.

▪️The answer to that is, when a hotel's board says 'pure vegetarian', we don't ask for the names of the owner, cook, or waiter.

▪️Labels like pure vegetarian, jhatka, halal, or kosher on a dhaba or food cart help consumers choose their preferred type of food. But what benefit does displaying the owner's name provide?

▪️Many of India's top meat exporters are Hindus. Does meat sold by Hindus turn into lentils and rice? Similarly, does fruit sold by someone named Altaf or Rashid turn into meat?