Akhilesh Yadav Condemns Kanwar Yatra Eateries Order as 'Social Crime'

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday condemned the Muzaffarnagar police's directive that mandates eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display owners' names. He labeled the order as a 'social crime' and urged the courts to take suo motu cognizance of the matter.

The police in Muzaffarnagar have instructed all eateries, including hotels, dhabas, and carts, along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display the names of their proprietors to prevent any 'confusion'. The opposition views this move as a targeted attack on Muslim traders.

Yadav raised concerns on social media, questioning the effectiveness of such a measure. 'What if the name of the owner is Guddu, Munna, Chhotu, or Fatte? What can you ascertain from these names?' he wrote. He further demanded that the court investigate the government’s intentions and take appropriate punitive action.

Muzaffarnagar police chief Abhishek Singh justified the order, stating it was meant to prevent any confusion among kanwariyas and ensure there were no law and order issues, claiming all affected parties are voluntarily complying. Despite this, the decision has faced backlash from political figures and civil society members.

(With inputs from agencies.)