New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday defended the Muzaffarnagar Police order to all eateries and carts selling eatables to display their names, saying it allows fasting Hindus who may want to eat at a pure veg restaurant, where the likelihood of them being served Satvik food is higher, a choice.
BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said on X, "India's 'secularism' can't be so fragile that a uniform order asking all eateries to display name and contact number of the owner/workers should disrupt it." He said almost two decades ago, all eateries in Mumbai's business district, prominently displayed name of the eatery, owner, contact number, last BMC inspection date and hygiene grade.
If this wasn't discriminatory, then why should an order in Muzaffarnagar be seen with a different lens just because it is Uttar Pradesh, he asked.
If food is a choice and restaurants, including some MNCs, delivery apps, catering to Muslim sensibilities, prominently display Halal compliance certificates, then why should it be any different for fasting Hindus (Kanwar Yatris in this case), who may want to eat at a pure veg restaurant, where the likelihood of them being served Satvik food is higher, said Malviya.
"Is giving Hindus equal right to choice a sin?" he asked.
Targeting critics, he took a dig at secularists who, he said, have assumed that this order is discriminatory and against the Muslims.
"Because they know that several Muslims acquire overtly Hindu names for their businesses, from coaching institutes to food joints, and indulge in not just violating religious sensibilities but also conversions and worse. We have already seen so many disgusting videos of vendors, workers spitting, urinating and more," Malviya said.
"This misplaced outrage is the bane of India's secularism, which is a one way street, much like hypocrisy of those who claim to champion it," he added.
The Congress slammed the order as "an assault on India's culture" .
Muzaffarnagar Police chief Abhishek Singh earlier on Monday said, "Preparations of Sawan month have started in the district. About 240 km of Kanwar Yatra route falls in the district. All the eateries, including hotels, dhabas and carts, on the route have been asked to display the names of their proprietors or those working on these shops."
"This has been done to ensure that there should be no confusion among kanwariyas and no law and order situation arises. All are following this voluntarily," he told reporters.