"Attempt By BJP To...": Aaditya Thackeray Hits Out At Kanwar Yatra Order

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday condemned Uttar Pradesh government's directive for food shops to display their owners' names saying that its an attempt by the BJP to create distance between people.

"This is an attempt by the BJP to create distance between people, I only ask that no matter whose nameplate it is, if he is a member of BJP, then is it appropriate or not?" Aaditya Thackeray said.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Sukanta Majumdar supported the Uttar Pradesh government's directive for food shops to display their owners' names, saying that a similar notifications were issued during the Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav governments.

He added that it's a routine exercise and not specific to the Kanwar Yatra.

He claimed that the Opposition is misleading people and spreading lies on the issue.

"Opposition is misleading people and spreading lies. A similar kind of notification was issued during Mulayam Singh Yadav's government, and Akhilesh Yadav's government also issued such notifications... it's a routine exercise and not specific to the Kanwar Yatra. The law requires that names be registered, not identifying anyone by religion... Hindus who eat non-veg go to Muslim shops. In West Bengal, we go to many such shops, which are run by Muslims. The opposition is trying to divide the people and Asaduddin Owaisi is playing the role of Jinnah," Mr Majumdar told ANI.

Notably, the Uttar Pradesh government has mandated all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names. Furthermore, the Haridwar Police Administration issued an order on Friday for restaurant owners to display names along the Kanwar Yatra route.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly condemned the directive issued by the BJP state governments in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to all eateries to display their owners' names along the entire stretch of the Kanwar Yatra route .

CPI (M) said in a statement that the decisions taken by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments were clearly designed to sharpen communal polarisation and foster tensions among religious communities.

"This move is blatantly unconstitutional and strikes at the foundation of the fundamental right of equality for all citizens," CPI (M) said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)