Police announcements in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar and Uttarakhand’s Haridwar have triggered an uproar with an order asking all food vendors and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners and staff. 

While officials said the decision is to prevent “confusion” among devotees, several opposition leaders and rights groups have called it a flagrant violation of constitutional norms and an attempt to target the Muslim community.

At Meenakshi Chowk on Old Delhi Road, Mobin has put up a board on his food stall saying ‘Mobin Fruit Wala’. “Six to seven days ago, the police came and asked me to put up a board with my name on the cart or to remove the cart from here. I asked why there was a need to put up the board but was not given an answer.”

Mobin says business has been hit. “There has been an impact…we think the administration asked for names so that it becomes a communal issue.”

Nisar, who has been selling fruits at Meenakshi Chowk for the past 15 years, has written ‘Nisar Fruits’ on an F4 size paper placed on his cart. “Only people from the Muslim community are writing their names…as far as I remember, there has never been any dispute with the Kanwariyas. We don’t set up our carts during the Kanwar Yatra because the road is heavily crowded.”

Muzaffarnagar SSP Abhishek Singh was the first to announce the order,  

When Newslaundry visited SSP Singh’s office, he refused to comment on the issue. “I am not talking to any media organisation on this matter. Whatever we had to say, we have said it through the press release. You can use that in your story.” 

Singh was listening to locals while some individuals wearing saffron scarves approached him with souvenirs.

Watch to see what happened next.