Controversial Kanwar Yatra order to face Parl and SC scrutiny today

New Delhi: The controversy surrounding the directive from the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments, which mandates eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners’ names, intensified as the BJP’s ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), joined the Opposition in demanding its withdrawal. The Opposition parties have vowed to bring up the issue in Parliament.

The matter has reached the Supreme Court, which will hear a plea from the NGO Association of Protection of Civil Rights against the UP government’s order on Monday.

Opposition parties argue that the order is “communal and divisive,” targeting Muslims and Scheduled Castes by forcing them to reveal their identities. However, the BJP defends the directive as a measure to address law and order issues and respect the religious sentiments of pilgrims.

At an all-party meeting on Sunday, on the eve of the Parliament session, Opposition parties including the Congress, DMK, SP, and AAP criticised the order and demanded a discussion in Parliament. Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav accused the BJP of pursuing divisive politics aimed at Muslims.

After JD(U), another BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary disapproved of the order and demanded that it be rescinded.

“It seems that the order was taken without much thought and the government is adamant on it because the decision has been taken,” Rajya Sabha member Chaudhary told reporters.

“There is still time. It (rollback) should happen or the government should not put much emphasis on (implementing) it,” he said in Muzaffarnagar.

He said Kanwariyas do not ask about anyone’s religion when they seek any service from them and the matter (serving the kanwariyas) should not be linked to any religion.

Wading into the controversy, yoga guru Ramdev defended the order, suggesting that everyone should be proud of their identity and transparent about it.

The Kanwar Yatra, beginning on Monday with the start of the Sawan month of the Hindu calendar, sees millions of Shiva devotees carrying holy water from the Ganges in Haridwar to their homes, offering it at Shiva temples along the way. Extensive arrangements have been made across several states to accommodate the yatra.

Following the Muzaffarnagar Police’s directive for eateries to display owners’ names, the UP government extended the order across the state on Friday, facing backlash from Muslim organisations and political parties. The BJP claims it is merely implementing rules established by the previous Samajwadi Party government in 2006.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed similar instructions are already in effect in his state.

In Muzaffarnagar, dhaba owners expressed concerns about potential business losses due to the directive. Mohammad Arsalan, a dhaba owner, fears Kanwariyas might avoid his establishment due to his Muslim name, despite his efforts to cater to their dietary preferences.

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have implemented extensive security measures for the yatra, including no-vehicle zones, barricades, and CCTV and drone surveillance. The Delhi Police issued a traffic advisory, anticipating congestion and outlining measures to manage traffic during the yatra, which is expected to draw 15-20 lakh participants this year.

Spanning from July 22 to August 19, this special period for the worship of Lord Shiva will include five Mondays. A large number of devotees travel from various places with ‘kanwars’ carrying holy water from the Ganges to perform ‘jalabhishek’ of Shivlings.