The Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments’ orders requiring restaurants along the Kanwar Yatra route to post the identities of their owners have been temporarily halted by the Supreme Court on Monday. The governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh were served with notices by a bench consisting of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti, asking them to respond to the pleas contesting the direction.
Temporary Injunction Issued by the Supreme Court
“We believe it is reasonable to issue a temporary injunction that forbids the aforementioned orders from being enforced. Put another way, food vendors may need to list the type of food they serve, but they shouldn’t be compelled to reveal the identities of the owners or employees,” the bench stated on Friday when it was remanding the case for more consideration.
Appeal
The highest court was considering appeals against the directive submitted by Mahua Moitra, the TMC MP, and the NGO Association for Protection of Civil Rights. Moitra has requested a stay on the directions issued by the two state governments in her case before the highest court, arguing that they worsen tensions between groups.
Orders for Restaurants Along the Kanwar Yatra Route
Restaurants along the Kanwar Yatra route were ordered by the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to post the names of their proprietors.
In addition to this, store owners in the historic city were ordered by the BJP-controlled Ujjain Municipal Corporation to post their names and cell phone numbers outside of their businesses.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
According to the mayor of Ujjain on Saturday, anyone who disobeys this order for the first time will be fined Rs 2,000, and if they do so again, they will be fined Rs 5,000.
The mayor stated that this decision is not meant to target Muslim store owners but rather to ensure safety and transparency.
The holy Mahakal temple in Ujjain is well-known and draws pilgrims from all over the world, particularly during the Savaan month, which begins on Monday.
For the Kanwar Yatra, which began on Monday with the start of the Sawan month of the Hindu calendar and involves thousands of Shiva devotees carrying holy water from the Ganges in Haridwar to their homes while offering it at Shiva temples along the way, extensive preparations have been made across several states.
