Amid a controversy over displaying nameplates outside eateries in Uttar Pradesh, a poster has surfaced in Meerut that has asked mehendi artists to display their nameplates before applying the henna during the festival season.
The banner has been put outside the Balaji temple in Meerut's Cantt area by Mahamandaleshwar Mahendra Das Maharaj of Nirmohi Akhara. The message written on the banner in Hindi roughly translates to, "During Hindu festivals, apply mehndi after seeing the identity of the artist...Save your sisters and daughters".
Mahamandaleshwar Mahendra Das Maharaj accused the people of other communities of "posing as Hindus" by tying a sacred thread on their wrists. "Put your nameplate and then apply mehendi, so that the women who come to get the mehendi applied know who is applying it," he demanded.
A picture of the controversial banner has surfaced on social media. Mahendra Das Maharaj has also made a big demand from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the matter.
"When nameplates are being installed at the places where people eat and drink, then they should also be installed at the places where people apply mehendi," he said. He alleged that many incidents have happened and they are doing this to "save sanatanis".
Mahamandaleshwar said that he will install more than 250 banners in Meerut city and rural areas to "create awareness" about it during the festival season.
The Nameplate Controversy
The Uttar Pradesh government had asked those running eateries, tea stalls, and fruit carts to display nameplates during the Kanwar yatra. The move was opposed by the Opposition as well as BJP's allies, the Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), who advised the UP government to reconsider the decision as it is "unconstitutional and divisive".
The Supreme Court had temporarily stayed the order. While hearing a plea challenging the order, the court had termed the directive "discriminatory". "Do not force the owners of eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their names outside shops," the Supreme Court said in an interim order to Uttar Pradesh.
In September, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered that all restaurants and eateries in Uttar Pradesh will have to prominently display the names and addresses of operators, proprietors, managers and staff. "He also called for amendments to existing rules, ensuring the health and safety of the general public," a UP government statement said.