Amid the row over the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive to food shops on the Kanwar Yatra route to display ID cards, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said that it reflects the hatred towards Muslims in India.
Slamming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and those in the INDIA bloc, Owaisi said that this “visceral hatred” is due to political parties or leaders of Hindutva and those parties who call themselves “secular”.
“Fear on UP’s Kanwar routes: This is The reality of hatred for Indian Muslims, credit for this visceral hatred goes to political parties /leaders of Hindutva and so-called lip servicing Secular parties,” Owaisi said in a post on ‘X’, sharing a photo of an egg stall displaying the name of its owner.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also took a dig at this move asking whether the Kanwar Yatra route is the same as the journey towards ‘Viksit Bharat’.
“Kanwar Yatra Route UP directs eateries including roadside carts to display the names of owners! Is this the route to a “Viksit Bharat”? Divisive agendas will only Divide the country!” Sibal said in a post on ‘x’.
Communist Party Of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat also hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government over this move likening it the Nazi Germany.
“Uttar Pradesh government is destroying the Constitution of India by issuing such orders…A whole community is being humiliated…They are trying to divide society…This type of targeting was done by Nazis in Germany…I condemn it,” Karat said speaking to ANI on Saturday.
Asking courts to step up, the CPIM leader said, “Why are the courts not taking suo-moto action against it?… The order should be withdrawn.”
Meanwhile, BJP leader Mohsin Raza supported the move, stating, “Kanwar Yatra takes place on a large scale in UP. CM Yogi Adityanath has always been attentive to the security of the public.”
“The facilities and management of Kanwar Yatra have always been improved over the last 7 years. This is the eighth year. The government is providing facilities and security. So no one has to hide their name. It also conveys a message of harmony. The opposition is trying to oppose the Kanwar Yatra and not this advisory,” Raza added.
BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam dismissed concerns, stating, “The public living in areas for which the orders have been passed have no problem. The Muslims have no problem with it; they welcome the Kanwar yatris. Unfortunately, some people are doing politics on it.”
On Friday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mandated that food and beverage shops along Kanwar routes should display the name and identity of the operator/owner to maintain the sanctity of the pilgrims’ faith.
Additionally, action will be taken against those selling halal-certified products.
The move by the Uttar Pradesh government to enforce the use of ID Cards by all shops in the state that fall along the Kanwar Yatra route has resulted in a political slugfest between the BJP and the opposition.
