Kapil Sibal Criticizes UP Government's Directive for Kanwar Yatra

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal criticized the UP government for mandating food shops to display owners' names on the Kanwar Yatra route. He urged leaders to prioritize development over divisive issues and pointed out pressing concerns like unemployment. Opposition leaders also expressed their disapproval of the directive.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has sharply criticized the Uttar Pradesh government's directive mandating food shops on the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names, urging leaders to prioritize development over divisive issues. Sibal warned that ongoing debates around the yatra are detracting from India’s progress, calling on the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Chief Ministers to refrain from using such matters for political gain.

During a press conference, Sibal emphasized the pressing economic and political challenges overshadowing critical issues like unemployment. He pointed to a recent job opening in Uttar Pradesh that received 47 lakh applications for just 60,000 positions. He urged the CMs of UP and Uttarakhand to stop focusing on the Kanwar Yatra, highlighting that participants already know where to eat.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey defended the guidelines, stating they were first implemented by previous governments under Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati. Amid the row, Haridwar Police Administration issued similar orders. The Muzaffarnagar Police clarified that the intention was to facilitate devotees and prevent disputes, not to create religious discrimination.