Controversial Directive by BJP Leader Sparks Debate

BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur urged Hindu shopkeepers to display their names to differentiate from non-Hindus, amidst a Supreme Court-stayed directive in UP and Uttarakhand. The opposition labeled the directive as discriminatory, while the MP government clarified no such rule exists for Kanwar Yatra routes.

BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has called on Hindu shopkeepers to display their names prominently on their commercial establishments, ostensibly to differentiate Hindus from non-Hindus. This announcement comes amidst a contentious directive issued by the BJP-ruled states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which required names of owners and staff to be highlighted on eateries along Kanwar Yatra routes. The enforcement of these directives was subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court, extending its interim order from July 22.

In a recent development, days after the Ujjain mayor's claim that shop owners were directed to display their names and contact details on boards, the Madhya Pradesh government clarified on July 21 that no such instructions were issued for shop owners along the Kanwar Yatra route, emphasizing that there is no compulsion to follow this directive.

Amid opposition criticism labeling the directives by the UP and Uttarakhand governments as divisive and discriminatory against Muslims, Thakur reiterated her appeal on social media. “I appeal to every Hindu to write their name on their shops and establishments. Those who write their names are Hindus and those who do not write are not Hindus. No one can stop you from writing your name because the country belongs to you. Rest everyone is sensible,” Thakur tweeted on Saturday.

The Supreme Court's stay on the directives ensured that the Kanwar Yatra proceeded without enforcement of the controversial orders. The yatra sees thousands of devotees carry holy water from the Ganges to perform ‘jalabhishek’ of Shivlings during the Hindu month of ‘Shravan’, a period during which many Hindus avoid consuming meat and even meals containing onions and garlic.