Nameplate case, UP government replied to Supreme Court

UP: The government has told the Supreme Court that the instruction to install nameplates was issued to ensure peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra. The state government said that the purpose behind issuing the instructions was to offer informed options to the Kanwariyas regarding their food during the journey, so that their religious sentiments are not hurt.

Saharanpur The affidavit by the Divisional Commissioner of Saharanpur states, “Even small misconceptions about the food served to the Kanwariyas can hurt their religious sentiments and create tension, especially in a communally sensitive area like Muzaffarnagar.”

The UP government has said that this instruction was limited to the Kanwar Yatra route for a period of less than 2 weeks, only to ensure peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra. More than 4.07 crore Kanwariyas undertake this journey annually. The UP government has said in its reply that the instructions issued by the state were made after receiving complaints from kanwariyas about confusion caused by the names of shops and eateries. Only after receiving the complaints, police officials took action to address the concerns of kanwariyas and maintain law and order.