On 18th July, Swami Yashveer Maharaj issued a video statement calling out Islamists and so-called ‘seculars’ who are opposing the directions of Muzaffarnagar police to write names of the owners of the shops and carts of vendors on Kanwar Marg, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
The directions were issued to ensure there is no confusion about the owner of the shops among Kanwar Yatris. Notably, there have been reports that Muslims have been running shops, hotels, dhabas fruit carts etc. using the names of Hindu deities and misleading names. Yashveer Maharaj has been protesting against it for a long time.
In a video statement, he said, “We raised our voice that in Muzaffarnagar on Kanwar Marg, Muslim shopkeepers who run food stalls, fruit carts etc. keep the names of their shops on the names of Hindu deities or misleading names. When we demanded that all shops and carts should have the names of the owners/workers in bold letters written on the boards, the Police agreed to our demand and issued directions for the same. The shopkeepers are writing the names of the owners in bold letters as per the directions. However, fundamentalists like [Asaduddin] Owaisi are objecting to the directions of the police. There is a so-called journalist, Mohammed Zubair. He is the same Mohammed Zubair who provoked Muslims against Hindus with his posts and he has been to jail several times. He is facing several cases. There is a case registered against him in Muzaffarnagar as well. Hence, I request to the government that there should be no mishap with any Kanwar Yatri. If anything happens to any Kanwar Yatri, Mohammed Zubair should be held responsible for it. Thus, he should be arrested immediately and his accounts should be checked as well to see if he is getting foreign funding.”
He added, “The fundamentalists and seculars who are opposing the directions should think if Hindus continue to consume food at their hotel that has been spat on, urinated on and mixed with cow beef, then it is fine [for them] but if they [Hindus] oppose, it becomes a problem and they [fundamentalists and secular] start a campaign against it. We do not have a problem with hotels and dhabas owned by Muslims. They are free to run them. But they should run them in their name instead of running them in the names of Hindu deities and misleading Hindu names. If someone thinks this can continue, it won’t. We will not let it continue in Muzaffarnagar, at least. If someone tries to continue doing so, we will revolt against it and make it stop.” He then thanked police officials for giving directions to ensure law and order was maintained during Kanwar Yatra.”
Muzaffarnagar police issued directions to shops and carts owners to write names of the owners in bold letters
This year the Kanwar Yatra will start on 22nd July and conclude on 2nd August. In the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, the local administration has issued an order asking hotels, dhabas, and carts selling food items to write the name of their proprietors and operators running the shop or cart. However, alleged fact-checker Mohd Zubair, AIMIM Chief Asaddudin Owaisi, and Islamists have started to cry hoarse alleging religious discrimination.
Notably, the Muzaffarnagar SSP addressed the media where he shared information about the administration’s decision. Speaking to media channels, SSP Abhishek Singh said that dhabas, hotels, eateries, and carts selling food items that fall on the Kanwar Yatra mark have been asked to write the names of proprietors and operators. He added that this could avoid confusion for the Kanwariyas and avert arguments or confrontations as well as avoid any untoward incident. He added that eateries have started to follow the order out of their volition. Notably, there is no restriction on Kanwar Yatris from where can buy goods and they are free to shop anywhere.
In line with the administration’s orders, many cart sellers and eateries in the region have started to display names on banners or paper boards. Police personnel from police stations like Nai Mandi, Chhapar, Purkaji, Mansoorpur, and Khatauli have started to enforce the order. In the city area, many eateries near Meenakshi Chowk have started to put up posters with their names written on them.
Yashveer Maharaj’s campaign against misleading names of Muslim-owned shops
Last year during the Kanwar Yatra as well as days ahead of this year’s yatra, Swami Yashveer Maharaj made serious allegations that a large number of Muslim eatery owners hid their identity and displayed posters with fake Hindu names. He said that they have dotted the routes of the Kanwar Yatra. Given this, Swami Yashveer Maharaj demanded that the administration should ask eatery owners to display the names of their owners or operators.
He said, “Some people from a particular community operate shops during the Kanwar Yatra by putting up boards with the names of Hindu deities, due to which there is a possibility of hurting the sentiments of Shiva devotee Kanwariyas. The identity of people from a particular community operating shops by putting up boards with the names of Hindu deities should be made public. The police should run a campaign for this.” He also warned that if the administration doesn’t take action in this matter within a week, they will organise protests and agitations.
Islamists crying hoarse over the issue
The administration’s orders come in the wake of allegations that certain Muslim shop owners were deceiving and hurting the sentiments of Kanwariyas by using fake Hindu names and serving fast non-compliant food in the holy month. According to the administration, this has been done to avoid confrontation and avert any untoward incident that could create a law and order situation. However, Islamists have started to cry hoarse alleging that displaying the name of the shop/cart owner is “religious discrimination”.
Mohammed Zubair, who describes himself as a ‘fact-checker’ but often indulges in selective ‘fact-checking’ to push the left’s agenda, described the order asking vendors and shop owners to maintain transparency and display their names on their shop as ‘dangerous’ and whipped up hysteria claiming such a move had a potential of ‘discrimination on the grounds of religion’.
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi went further and equated it with South Africa’s “apartheid” and Germany’s “Judenboycott”.
