Kanwar Nameplate Row: What Did the Supreme Court Say About the Interim Stay on the Nameplate Dispute?

On Monday, July 22, 2024, the Supreme Court imposed an interim stay on the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to mandate nameplates on shops along the Kanwar Yatra route. Justice Rishikesh Roy questioned whether Kanwar pilgrims expect all those involved in food preparation, serving, and farming to be non-minorities, given their devotion to Bhagwan Shiv. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the petitioner Mahua Moitra of TMC, described this expectation as troubling yet accurate. Singhvi noted that the Kanwar Yatra predates independence. Justice SVN Bhatti shared his own experience, mentioning his preference for food from a Muslim restaurant over a Hindu one due to perceived cleanliness.