On Sunday, Yogi Adityanath in a public address said anti-social elements are attempting to defame Kanwar Yatra. He also urged Kanwariyas not to take matters into their own hands.
Apex court Friday extended its interim stay on UP, Uttarakhand govts' directives to eateries to display owners' names while yatra was ongoing. Stay to remain till next hearing 5 August.
Swami Yashveer Maharaj has made headlines in the past for ‘converting Muslims back to Hinduism’ and issuing ‘ultimatums’ to administration to clear ‘jihadist’ encroachment.
According to a Gautam Buddh Nagar district administration official, this is a first, and earlier, stalls selling non-veg and liquor would be shut on the days of yatra.
Muslim owners & fruit vendors claim they were pressured by police to write their names on their shops. Eateries selling non-veg food have begun shutting down ahead of the Yatra.
While some dhabas along yatra route are complying with directive to display owners' names without question, others say it is discriminatory. Police say move is to 'maintain law & order'.
Bareilly SSP Prabhakar Chaudhary was transferred hours after taking action against ‘unruly’ kanwariyas Sunday and terming their actions as a ‘clash of egos’.
'This is Sambhal. Things may turn [for the worse] any moment here,' is the UP Police's argument. But Muslim shop owners say the police isn't allowing them to open their restaurants and sell just vegetarian dishes either.
Kanwariyas say no one dares question them, and even TTEs don’t ask for tickets. But passengers complain of harassment, want separate coaches for kanwariyas.
This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they’d seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe.
COMMENTS