Kanwar Yatra: BJP Allies Deeply Alarmed Over U.P. Government’s Controversial ‘Nameplate’ Diktat for 2024

Kanwar Yatra: Proprietors in Muzaffarnagar Begin Placing Nameplates on Eateries, Shops, and Stalls Along the Route; JD(U), LJP, and RLD Condemn the Police Advisory as Unconstitutional and Divisive

Understanding the Kanwar Yatra:

Source: news9live

The Kānvar Yātrā, also spelled Kānwar or Kāvaḍ, is a yearly pilgrimage undertaken by Shiva devotees known as Kānvarias (कावड़िया) or “Bhole” (भोले). These pilgrims travel to Hindu pilgrimage sites such as Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, as well as Ajgaibinath and Sultanganj in Bhagalpur, Bihar, to collect holy water from the Ganges River. 

Millions of pilgrims carry this sacred water on their shoulders for hundreds of miles to offer it at local Śiva shrines or at specific temples like the Pura Mahadeva temple in Baghpat district, the Augharnath temple in Meerut, the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, and the Baidyanath temple in Deoghar. In 2023, the Kanwar Yatra was held from July 4 to July 15.

At its core, the Kanwar refers to a type of religious activity where participants carry water from a sacred source in containers attached to either end of a pole. This pilgrimage gets its name from the kanwar, a sacred water-carrying device, and while the water typically comes from the Ganga, it can also come from other local sources. 

The water is offered to Shiva, who is often called Bhola (meaning innocent) or Bhole Baba (innocent saint). Consequently, the pilgrim is known as a bhola, and in direct address, bhole! Although canonical texts rarely mention the Kanwar as a structured festival, evidence of its existence is found in early nineteenth-century accounts by English travelers who observed Kanwar pilgrims throughout their journeys through the northern plains of India.

The Kanwar Yatra was a modest event, primarily undertaken by a few saints and older devotees, until the late 1980s when it began to grow in popularity. Today, the pilgrimage to Haridwar has become India’s largest annual religious gathering, with approximately 12 million participants in the 2010 and 2011 events. 

Devotees come from states such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh. The government implements heavy security measures, and traffic on the Delhi-Haridwar national highway (NH-58) is diverted during the Yatra.

Controversial directive by the UP government for the 2024 Kanwar Yatra:

Source: hindustantimes

On Friday, the UP government issued directives requiring shopkeepers and eatery owners across all areas where the Kanwar Yatra is held to display their names and other details on their establishments.

What did the BJP allies say?

Disagreements have emerged within the ruling National Democratic Alliance over the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive requiring those operating eateries, tea stalls, and fruit carts to display nameplates during the Kanwar Yatra. The BJP’s allies, including the Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), are urging the U.P. government to reconsider the order, arguing that it is unconstitutional and divisive.

Ramashish Rai, the state president of the RLD and the BJP’s sole ally in western U.P., criticized the decision as “communally divisive and unconstitutional.” He urged the U.P. administration to retract the directive requiring street vendors to display their names on their stalls, stating this on X.

The RLD, which has nine MLAs in U.P., including two Muslims, has expressed concerns about the directive. Bijnor MP Chandan Chauhan remarked that “communities are interdependent in society,” emphasizing that party founder Chaudhary Charan Singh opposed communal divisions. RLD General Secretary Trilok Tyagi suggested that if the government is focused on preserving the sanctity of the yatra, it should also consider closing liquor shops during the event.

Opposed to communal divisions:

In contrast to the State government’s directive, JD (U) General Secretary K.C. Tyagi noted that while a larger Kanwar Yatra occurs in Bihar and Jharkhand, no similar order is enforced there. He criticized the directive as contrary to PM Modi’s vision of Indian society and his principle of ‘sabka saath sabka vichar’. Tyagi, a veteran socialist leader from western U.P., suggested that it would be beneficial for the U.P. government to reconsider the decision. He also highlighted that Muslims have consistently supported those participating in the Kanwar Yatra.

Union Minister and LJP President Chirag Paswan also criticized the U.P. police advisory, stating that he would “never support or encourage” any form of division based on caste or religion.

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who had previously described the Muzaffarnagar police order as fostering untouchability, shifted his stance following the U.P. government’s directive. He argued that while the earlier order was limited in scope and caused confusion, the new directive shows respect for the sentiments of the faithful and should not be interpreted in a communal context.

What did the locals say?

In Muzaffarnagar, shop and stall owners have begun displaying their names and phone numbers on banners. Mohd Phulbahar, who operates Enjoy Cafe, reported that officials instructed him to include the owner’s name in Hindi on the banner. He expressed concern that this could foster communal divisions, negatively influence people’s perceptions, and affect business. “Community harmony will be impacted. 

People usually take official orders seriously and might think there is something wrong with us, which is why the government requires us to display our identity,” he said.

Lokesh Bharti, owner of Sakshi Tourist Dhaba on the Khatauli bypass, reported that officials instructed him to display his name and phone number on a banner and to temporarily remove Muslim employees from their positions. “I’ve had to temporarily dismiss four Muslim employees for the period,” he said. “It’s regrettable for them as they will be out of work for 15 to 20 days.”

Mohd Khaleel, who operates a grocery store, mentioned that for the past four years, Kanwariyas have used his shop to rest. “We sell only packaged items, so we shouldn’t affect the sanctity,” he said. “Now, we have to reconsider whether we can even offer a chair.”

The Kanwar Yatra begins on Monday and will conclude on August 2.

Link to the X post by BJP minister Ramashish Rai:

https://twitter.com/Ramashishmlc/status/1813967921905111419?t=Nw1800duqqR8SvetCNeapA&s=08