Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has moved the Supreme Court against the directives by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names of their owners.
In her plea before the top court, Moitra has sought a stay on the orders passed by the two state governments saying such directives aggravate discord between communities. The plea is yet to be listed for hearing.
The TMC leader said by forcing the disclosure of the names of proprietors and even those of their staff, on the stated ground of respecting pilgrims' dietary choices, "makes it clear that dietary choices is a pretext, or a proxy, for the compelled disclosure of personal -- and, in this case, religious -- identity", the plea said.
The plea alleged that this has been done to create a socially-enforced economic boycott on Muslim shop owners and workers, and the loss of their livelihoods.
"Since June 2023, the Respondent No. 1 (State of UP) continued to empower and embolden the anti-social elements by actively targeting Muslim owned businesses based on fabricated and malicious information circulated by the anti-social elements.
"The Respondent No. 1, through acts of commission and omission, created conditions for the complete economic boycott of Muslim minorities on the pretext of their 'impure' dietary choices," the petition said.
On Monday, the apex court is scheduled to hear a plea against the Uttar Pradesh government's controversial order. A bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti is likely to hear the plea filed by NGO Association of Protection of Civil Rights.
Meanwhile, extensive arrangements have been made across several states for the Kanwar Yatra that starts on Monday with the beginning of the Sawan month of the Hindu calendar during which lakhs of Shiva devotees carry holy water from the Ganges in Haridwar to their homes while offering it at Shiva temples on their way.
Days after the Muzaffarnagar police asked all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday extended the controversial order across the state.
The order issued by the Muzaffarnagar police earlier this week has been slammed by opposition parties and some members of the ruling NDA at the Centre, who say it targets Muslim traders.
Authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Sunday said they have made special arrangements to ensure a smooth yatra and extensive security measures are in place.
Spanning from July 22 to August 19, this special period for the worship of Lord Shiva will include five Mondays.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Outlook)
