Kanwar Yatra Row: Muslim Shopkeepers in U'khand Relieved as SC Extends Stay

Haridwar: Muslim shopkeepers here have expressed happiness after the Supreme Court extended its stay on an order mandating the display of names and phone numbers of shop owners on the Kanwar Yatra route until the next hearing on August 5. The shopkeepers said this order would disturb communal harmony and affect their business.

The Supreme Court on Friday extended till August 5 its interim direction staying the directives of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh which effectively ensured that Kanwar Yatra goes on without displaying the names of owners, staff and other details of eateries along the route.

Sanwar, who has been selling fruits near Haridwar’s Singh Dwar for the past 30 years, said that most of his customers are Hindus and they never had any issues buying fruits from him. He said writing his name would only lead to customers avoiding his shop.

“What benefit does the government gain from this? I don’t understand," he said, adding that if the court eventually mandates the display of names, he will comply. Rizwan Ahmed, who runs a dhaba near Baharabad on the Haridwar-Roorkee road, said the order is not at all right and it would only lead to communal tensions.

"If communal harmony is disrupted by displaying names, who will be responsible?" Ahmed said. Following the court’s stay, many Muslim shopkeepers have removed their names from their establishments.

However, Hindu shopkeeper Salek Chand Saini said this is the first time such an order has been issued, but he sees no problem in displaying names. "Displaying names would not cause any problem and all shopkeepers should comply. The Supreme Court is the highest authority and its decision will be in favour of all," Saini said.

Rajkumar, a kanwariya, said the order is not wrong, as it would help them to know where they are eating. "We are going to collect holy Ganga water, so we should know where we are eating," Rajkumar said.

Another kanwariya, Sachin Kamboj, said that if people have no issues stating their names, then someone named Zubair should not have a problem either. The Kanwar Yatra began on July 22 and ends on August 6.

A large number of devotees travel from various places with 'kanwars' carrying holy water from the Ganga to perform 'jalabhishek' of Shivlings during the Hindu calendar month of 'Shravan'. Many believers shun consuming meat during the month they consider holy. Many don't even consume meals containing onions and garlic.