SC stays Kanwar Yatra directives to display eateries' owner names

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered an interim stay on directives issued by the BJP-ruled states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand that required eateries along the Kanwar Yatra routes to display the names of their owners and staff.

The Opposition has criticised these directives as promoting religious discrimination.

Issuing notice to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh — where the Ujjain municipal body has issued a similar directive — a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti stated that eateries may be required to indicate whether they serve vegetarian or non-vegetarian food, but not to disclose the names of their owners or staff.

During the Hindu month of Shravan, many devotees travel carrying holy water from the Ganga to perform ‘jalabhishek’ of Shivlings. Many abstain from consuming meat during this holy month.