Not in order: on the Kanwar Yatra and directive on display of names

The Supreme Court of India on Monday stopped the enforcement of directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments that required food stalls on the route of the Kanwar Yatra — an increasingly popular pilgrimage that Shiva devotees undertake — to prominently exhibit the names and other identity details of their owners and employees. Petitioners argued that the directives would result in discriminatory outcomes, besides negating the secular character of the country. The Court accepted the need for urgent judicial intervention in the matter and issued notices to the States that fall in the route — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. The case will come up for hearing again on Friday. The yatra takes place during the Hindu month of Shravan when those who worship Shiva — popularly known as Kanwariyas or Bhole — walk hundreds of kilometres carrying pots of Ganga jal, known as kanwar (a structure made of bamboo that has containers suspended on both sides of a pole), to the temples in their home town. The yatra is increasingly popular, particularly among the Dalit and Other Backward Classes in the Hindi heartland. The police in Muzaffarnagar, western U.P., were the first to issue the controversial directive last week, which they said was done to ‘prevent any untoward incident’.

The discriminatory nature of this move became clear soon, and was criticised by the Opposition and National Democratic Alliance allies. Amid the criticism, U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended the requirement across the entire route of the pilgrimage in the State. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in neighbouring Uttarakhand followed suit. Reports emerged of Hindu hotel owners being asked by the administration to remove their Muslim workers; there were also accounts of harassment of meat shop owners. BJP allies, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and the Janata Dal (United), joined the Opposition Congress and the Samajwadi Party in calling out the brazenly communal move of the BJP governments. Many pilgrimages in India are undertaken and organised jointly by people of different faiths, and as it turns out, there are Muslims too who trek with Hindus to take part in this unique form of Shiva worship. All along the route, they have, for years, been served by Muslim shop owners and even volunteers. Muslim artisans make a living by making the kanwar in some parts. The economic, cultural and social aspects of the Kanwar Yatra — as with any other pilgrimage — are shared by people of various sects and religions. The government directive was unreasonable and achieved nothing other than promoting communal enmity. U.P. and Uttarakhand should withdraw their directives without waiting for the decision of the Court.