Kanwar Yatra Order: The Yogi Adityanath government has defended its decision to make it mandatory for shopowners along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display their names, citing the need for a peaceful and orderly pilgrimage. In a detailed submission to the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government explained that the directive was issued in response to concerns raised by devotees about the food served along the route, which sparked apprehensions about its preparation in accordance with religious practices, reported news website NDTV.
The government said implementation of the order would ensure that the religious sentiments of Kanwariyas aren't hurt, "even accidentally", reported news website India Today. The defence also said that the order would help maintain "peace and tranquillity".
The annual Kanwar Yatra, which attracts millions of participants, sees devotees of Lord Shiva travel to fetch holy water from the Ganges River.
“It may be noted that the idea behind the directives is transparency and informed choice of the consumer/Kanwaria regarding the food they eat during the period of the Yatra, keeping in mind their religious sentiments so that they don't, even accidently, fall foul of their beliefs. Such situations would obviously lead to flare-ups where lakhs and crores of people are walking barefoot carrying holy water," legal news website Live Law quoted the Uttar Pradesh government's reply.
Calling the order a "preventive measure", the government further stated that it was aimed to ensure public safety given the "potential for communal tensions". "Past incidents have shown that misunderstandings regarding the type of food being sold have led to tensions and disturbances," the petition said.
Kanwar Yatra Order: What Is The Controversy?
A recent directive issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police in Muzaffarnagar sparked the Kanwar Yatra order controversy. The order required eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names. This move, initially implemented in Muzaffarnagar on July 17, 2024, was extended statewide on July 19, 2024, and is now being enforced across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage, sees devotees of Lord Shiva travel to sacred sites like Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri to collect holy water from the Ganga. However, the directive has drawn criticism from various quarters, with three petitions filed in the Supreme Court challenging its validity, reported Live Law.
The petitioners are the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, and academics Apoorvanand Jha and Aakar Patel. They have argued that the directive creates a religious divide, violating citizens' fundamental rights under Articles 14, 15, 17, and 19 of the Constitution. They also claimed that it infringes upon the right to privacy of eatery owners and workers, putting them at risk of danger and targeting. The Opposition, too, slammed the move, labelling it as "anti-Muslim" and an attempt to create divisions within society.
The controversy surrounding the directive has sparked a wider debate about the balance between religious freedom and social harmony, with many questioning the motivations behind the move. As the matter awaits judicial scrutiny, the impact of the directive on the Kanwar Yatra and its participants remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, devotees across the nation began their Kanwar Yatra on July 22, marking the first Monday of 'Sawan', with many thronging temples dedicated to Lord Shiva to offer prayers and take a holy dip in the Ganga.