The allies of the BJP government have started opposing the decision of the UP and Uttarakhand governments to write the names of shopkeepers on the Kanwar route. NDA minister and LJP (R) supremo Chirag Paswan has also questioned this decision. Paswan has said that if there is any division in the name of caste or religion, I do not support it at all. Earlier, JDU and RLD had also opposed this move of the Yogi government.
Speaking to the media, Chirag Paswan said, “I am an educated youth of the 21st century and my fight is against casteism and communalism. I hold these reasons responsible for the backwardness of my state. Wherever there is division on the basis of caste and religion, I will neither support nor promote it and I don’t think such things matter to any other educated youth of my age, no matter which caste and religion he belongs to.”
After Uttar Pradesh, now the shop and restaurant owners on the Kanwar route in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand will have to put up nameplates. Haridwar Police has also issued an order in this regard. Uttar Pradesh Police has issued a new order regarding the Kanwar Yatra starting from 22nd July. Muzaffarnagar Police had ordered the owners of shops and restaurants on the route of the Kanwar Yatra to put up their name boards.
Former Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has also raised questions on this decision of UP Police. It is believed that he has made this comment on the social media platform X regarding the order issued by the police in Muzaffarnagar. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi wrote on X on Thursday, “The orders of some over-enthusiastic officers can promote the disease of untouchability in a hurry… Faith must be respected, but untouchability should not be protected… Do not ask about birth caste, what is caste and what is the status. Raidas, all are sons of God, no one is of low caste.”
