Kanwar Yatra nameplate row: SC says UP, Uttarakhand govt’s diktat encourages ‘untouchability’. 10 points

Kanwar Yatra nameplate row: The Supreme Court of India issued an interim stay on directives from the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments on Monday, which mandated eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display the names of their owners.

The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government and Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Uttarakhand government had issued a directive mandating eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to have nameplates of owners of the shops.

On Monday, the Supreme Court of India heard a plea filed by an NGO, the Association of Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), challenging the latest directive.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh governments while seeking their replies on the pleas challenging the directive.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra also moved the Supreme Court against the directives of the two state governments. MP Moitra sought a stay on the orders passed by the two governments, saying such directives aggravate discord between communities.

The apex court posted the matter for hearing on July 26.

Kanwar Yatra nameplate row: What the Supreme Court said

• The bench said state police cannot force shopkeepers to display their names and can only be asked to display food items.

 "This can be understood as not consuming non-vegetarian food, and for those who are strict, even onion and garlic. If the intention is to ensure such did for the Kanwariyas, the directives requiring food business owners to display their names and that of their employees is contended to be contrary to legal and constitutional norms."

• “It is contended the above are discriminatory, on the ground of religion and would further the cause of untouchability.”
• “To require the vendors to display the names of the owners and staff in his/her establishment cannot be read as a measure to ensure vegetarian or shudh shakahari food for the Kanwariya Yatris,” SC said.
• “Dietary preferences of the Yatris can be ensured by ensuring only shakahari food is served, and the name requirement for food business proprietors hardly achieves the intended objectives,” the SC bench said.
• “If the directives are allowed to be enforced, it is against the Constitution and preambular goals and has the effect of violating guaranteed rights under Articles 14, 15, 17," the SC said.

• "Yatris can have hygienic food confirming to their standards (without these directives), and powers of FSSAI cannot be usurped by police under law." the SC bench noted
• The SC issued a notice to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh on the Kanwar Yatra route nameplate directive

• “We deem it appropriate to pass an interim order prohibiting the enforcement of the above directives. In other words, the affected owners must display the type of food but not the names,” the SC order read

Kanwar Yatra nameplate diktat

The governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand recently mandated eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners.

Similarly, in Ujjain, governed by the BJP-led Municipal Corporation, shop owners were instructed to prominently display their names and mobile numbers outside establishments in the historic city.

Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal announced on Saturday that shop owners failing to comply with the directive to display their names and mobile numbers outside establishments would face penalties. Violators will be fined ₹2,000 for the first offence and ₹5,000 for subsequent violations.