Supreme Court stays government’s order to traders located on Kavad Yatra route to write their names

The Supreme Court heard petitions challenging an order of the Uttar Pradesh government related to the Kanwar Yatra. In the order of the UP government, the eateries located on the Kanwar Yatra route have been asked to write the names of the owners. After the hearing, the court put an interim stay on the orders of the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh governments. The court has also issued notices to all three states and sought a reply. The court said that shopkeepers do not need to reveal their names. They should just tell what and what type of food items are available with them.

Earlier, the counsel for the petitioners told the Supreme Court that this is a worrying situation where police officers are taking the initiative to divide the society. Minorities will be identified and boycotted economically. Apart from UP and Uttarakhand, two more states have joined in this. The Supreme Court asked whether it was a press statement or a formal order that these should be displayed?The counsel for the petitioners replied that first there was a press statement and then people started showing anger and said that it is voluntary, but they are strictly following it. The counsel said that this is not a formal order, but the police is taking strict action. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the petitioner, said that this is a pseudo order.

Senior advocate CU Singh, representing the petitioner, said that most of the people are very poor, vegetable and tea stall owners and their economic condition will worsen due to such economic boycott. We have faced bulldozer action for not following this.

The Supreme Court told Singhvi that we should not present the situation in such a way that it is exaggerated more than the ground reality. These orders also include the dimensions of safety and hygiene. Singhvi said that Kanwar Yatra has been happening for decades and people of all religions including Muslims, Christians and Buddhists help in their journey. Now you are excluding them.

Singhvi said that many pure vegetarian restaurants are also run by Hindus. Muslim employees can also work in these. Can I say that I will not eat anything there, because the food there is being prepared or served by Muslims or Dalits in some way or the other? Voluntary is written in the instructions, but where is the voluntary? If I tell then I am guilty and if I do not tell then also I am guilty. The Supreme Court asked whether the devotees of Kanwar Yatra (Kanwariyas) also expect that the food should be cooked by the owner of a particular category?