The Supreme Court has extended its interim stay on directives from the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments, which required eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners. The decision came after a hearing on pleas, including one by TMC MP Mahua Moitra, challenging the said directives.
The contentious directives aimed at having eatery owners display their names were defended by the Uttar Pradesh government as a measure to ensure a peaceful and orderly pilgrimage. The government’s defense was presented in a detailed submission to the Supreme Court on July 25.
The Uttar Pradesh government justified the order by citing past incidents where confusions over the type of food sold led to tensions among Kanwariyas—pilgrims participating in the Kanwar Yatra. According to the government, the directives were intended as proactive measures to prevent such disturbances, which were reportedly sparked by misunderstandings related to the eateries’ offerings.
