YOGI RESPONDS STRATEGICALLY TO OPPOSITION'S QUOTA POLITICS

The practice of disclosing the shop owner's name during Kanwar Yatra will be picked up by other BJP ruled states too.

- AJIT MAINDOLA

Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, by instructing shopkeepers across the state coming in the way of Kanwar Yatra to write the names of the owners outside their shops seems to have found a strategy to counter the game of “Constitution and reservation in danger” played by I.N.D.I Alliance in the Lok Sabha elections.

Similar decisions may be seen in other states in the near future. Assam CM Hemant Vishwa Sharma’s statements and actions regarding the growing Muslim population are also drawing the Opposition into appeasement politics. However, Yogi’s decision has intensified the political climate.

Though shop operators are required to display their names outside, this practice was paused for a period. With the political dynamics intensifying after CM Yogi’s instructions, the BJP could gain an advantage. Meanwhile, the opposition’s attacks may reignite Hindu-Muslim political tensions as the Opposition starts engaging in appeasement politics.

However, BJP’s allies JDU, Rashtriya Lok Dal have demanded the withdrawal of the order. And LJP Ram Vilas Paswan’s leader Chirag Paswan has said not to link politics with religion. But it does not seem that Yogi is going to withdraw the order. After Yogi’s order, the Uttarakhand government has also issued an order and indicated that the matter will move further. Parties like Congress, Samajwadi Party, BSP, AIMIM have opened a front against BJP.