UP govt defends name display order along Kanwar Yatra route in SC
In a detailed submission to the Supreme Court, the Uttar Pradesh government said that the directive to display the eatery owner’s name was issued to ensure a peaceful and orderly pilgrimage.
The State government has firmly opposed petitions challenging its directive requiring shop owners along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their names prominently.
The State government further explained that the directive was issued in response to complaints received from Kanwariyas regarding the confusion caused by the names of the shops and eateries.
“The yatra is an arduous journey, where some Kanwariyas, i.e. the Dak Kanwariyas, do not even stop to rest once the Kanwar is on their shoulders. There are sacred features of the pilgrimage, such as the fact that the Kanwar, once filled with holy Gangajal, is not to be kept on the ground; nor under the shadow of the gular tree. It may also be noted that a Kanwaria embarks on the Yatra after years of preparation,” the government said in its statement.
The Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage where devotees of Lord Shiva, known as Kanwariyas, travel to fetch holy water from the Ganges River, sees millions of participants each year.
The Uttar Pradesh government claimed that the directive was introduced in response to specific complaints from Kanwariyas. Pilgrims had allegedly raised concerns about the food being served along the route, which led to apprehensions regarding its preparation in line with religious practices.
The opposition has targeted the government calling the directive ‘anti-muslim‘ and aimed at creating divisions within the society.
The Kanwar Yatra
The Yatra originates from Kumbhnagari Haridwar. Each year, during the month of Sawan, millions of Shiva devotees flock to Haridwar to collect the sacred waters of the Ganga.
Many devotees throng temples dedicated to Bhagwan Shiva including the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain, the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, the Kali Paltan temple in Meerut, and the Jharkhandi Mahadev Temple in Gorakhpur, to offer their prayers.
- Devotees across the nation began their Kanwar Yatra on July 22, on the occasion of the first Monday of ‘Sawan’.
For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.
Excellent – pin down Supreme Court. have your knee on SC neck