
Recently directives were passed to display names, addresses and mobile numbers of owners and staff in the Kanwar Yatra route in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Kanwar yatra is an annual pilgrimage made by devotees of Lord Shiva, in North India. The Supreme court has stayed the order and as of now eateries in the states are not obliged to comply with the directives to display names. The petitions were filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Professor Apoorvananad and columnist Aakar Patel. Such directives have also been linked to similar experiences in apartheid-era South Africa and Nazi Germany, where Jews were forced to identify their businesses, precursing brutal persecution. The Government of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and BJP leaders stated that the directives were meant to protect religious sentiments. The UP State Government in court stated that it is imperative to take preventive measures that ensure a peaceful and harmonious pilgrimage.
India is known for various religious yatras some of which include Amarnath Yatra, Kumbh Mela, Vaishno devi yatra, Char Dham yatra, Sabarimala yatra, Pandharpur yatra, Rath yatra, Hemis festival, Brahmotsavam, Gangasagar mela, Pushkar fair and Nanda Devi Raj Jat yatra. During these yatras many types of enterprises and businesses spring up. These could be road-side eateries, restaurants, guest houses, charitable lodgings, temporary medical camps, transportation services like auto rickshaws, buses, shops selling religious items, small street vendors, service camps such as langars, water stations and rest areas. Such events create opportunities where people cutting across religions offer services for the pilgrims. Pilgrims too avail themselves of the services irrespective of the identity of the service providers. E.g., in Kanwar yatra many Muslims owned eateries may be catering to the needs of the Hindu pilgrims providing vegetarian food and adhering to the dietary restrictions observed during the pilgrimage. Similarly, during Vaishno devi yatra, accommodation providers and food stalls are run by both Hindus and Muslims, showcasing a collaborative effort to support the massive flow of pilgrims. Identity of the service provider does not matter so far it meets the needs of the pilgrims. It provides livelihoods to the poor irrespective of religion.
The directives of the state governments are aimed at creating an artificial divide among the people. It is an attempt to make people choose the enterprises and service providers based on their identity, which could be religious, and caste based. The right wing media has time and again called for the boycott of Muslim enterprises, which apart from being anti-minority is also anti-poor. Fake news has been used time and again to promote boycotts of Muslim enterprises.
The directive is being opposed for the following reasons: –
Discriminatory nature of the Directive: The directive is discriminatory, which intends to identify, and potentially target businesses based on the religious identity of their owner and staff. This could foster an environment where businesses are boycotted or treated unfairly based on their religious identity. It mirrors past instances of systemic discrimination.
Segregation and Division: The directive is to create artificial divides among the people. By requiring displaying the names, addresses and mobile numbers, it encourages the pilgrims to choose service providers based on their identity rather than the quality of service. This segregation could undermine the spirit of communal harmony that traditionally characterizes these pilgrimage events.
Historical comparisons: The directive has been compared to discriminatory practices from history, such as those in apartheid-era South Africa and Nazi Germany, where businesses were marked based on the identity of their owners, leading to persecution and segregation. This comparison highlights concerns about the potential for the directive to contribute to similar patterns of exclusion and bias.
Impact on Small Businesses: Small businesses, particularly those owned by minorities, could be disproportionately affected by the order. The potential for harassment or targeted boycotts may threaten their economic viability, exacerbating existing disparities and harming livelihoods in already vulnerable communities.
Legal and Human Rights concerns: The directive raises concerns about individual privacy and civil rights. The requirement to publicly display personal information could infringe on privacy rights and potentially expose individuals to harassment or security risks.
Several political leaders and celebrities have opposed the order. Mahua Moitra of TMC described the directive as discriminatory and reminiscent of historical practices of segregation. She argued that it could lead to communal divides and harassment of minority-owned businesses. Sonu Sood pointed out that only humanity should be displayed on the nameplates. Prakash Raj questioned whether similar orders be passed to ask Beef companies to put the name, caste and religious owner of Beef companies which are largely owned by upper caste Hindus.
The directive is nothing surprising given the fact that the current Government is discriminatory and would make every effort to reduce minorities to second class citizens in their own country. Many of the NDA partners too opposed the directives of the BJP Government in these states. Such efforts to mainstream discriminatory practices which are anti-constitutional and anti-humanitarian need to be opposed at every front. It should not just be exposed for being anti-minority but also being anti-poor.
T Navin is an independent writer