New Delhi: The Supreme Court has taken a significant step by imposing an interim stay on the directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments. These directives mandated that eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route display the names of their owners. The court’s decision came in response to a plea filed by the NGO “Association of Protection of Civil Rights” (APCR). Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti presided over the hearing.
The court’s order emphasizes that food sellers should not be compelled to reveal the identities of their owners and staff. Additionally, the court questioned whether Kanwariyas (devotees participating in the Kanwar Yatra) could demand that a community grow or cook vegetables. The next hearing is scheduled for July 26.
Senior advocate CU Singh, representing the petitioner, expressed concern about the potential division caused by the directive. He highlighted that police officers were inadvertently contributing to economic disparities among socially backward minorities.
Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, arguing on behalf of the petitioners, pointed out the paradoxical situation: “If I do not write my name, I am kept out; if I write my name, I am still kept out.”
The Kanwar Yatra, which begins during the auspicious month of Sawan in the Hindu calendar, witnesses extensive preparations across several states. Devotees carry holy water from the Ganga in Haridwar (Uttarakhand) and Deoghar (Jharkhand) to their homes, where they offer it in Shiva temples along the way.
