Big Faceoff Over Kanwar Yatra Regulations In Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh police have issued a notification requiring all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the details of their owners. This directive, intended to prevent confusion among the Kanwariyas, applies to all food establishments, including hotels, dhabas, and roadside carts. The Muzaffarnagar police emphasized that food stall owners are voluntarily complying with the requirement. However, this measure has sparked significant controversy, with the Opposition alleging that it targets Muslim-owned shops and symbolizes apartheid. Leaders such as Fakhrul Hasan Chand from the Samajwadi Party, Pawan Khera, and Owaisi have voiced their concerns, while BJP ally JDU has urged the Yogi government to review the notification. Despite the backlash, the Uttar Pradesh government, police, and ruling BJP have defended the directive, calling it fair and necessary for a peaceful Kanwar Yatra. Thousands of Kanwarias undertake this holy journey between the end of July and early August, but this year, the yatra is courting controversy amidst these new regulations.