Kanwar Yatra order: Muslim, Hindu owners ask staff to quit, small dhabas fear income loss

Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh: For the past seven years, Brijesh Pal, a daily wager, would work at a roadside dhaba in Khatauli area of Muzaffarnagar during the two months of Shravan to help his Muslim owner manage the heavy footfall of customers, mainly the Kanwariyas.

He would get Rs 400-600 and at least two meals every day for the job.

This year, however, his employer, Mohammad Arsalan, asked him to look for other jobs as he cannot afford to hire extra staff, expecting that his earnings will take a hit due to the Uttar Pradesh government's orders to owners of hotels, restaurants, food carts and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners at their outlets.

After the Muzaffarnagar Police issued the order, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday extended the controversial order across the state. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said similar instructions are already in place in his state as well.

The order has snowballed into a controversy with opposition parties, civil society and even some ruling alliance leaders criticising it.

"It was a good source of income as finding other jobs in this season is very difficult because construction and farm work don't happen much in the monsoon season where I could get a job as a labourer," Pal told PTI.

"I joined the 'dhaba' a week ago but now the owner has asked me to look for work elsewhere," he said.

Small fruit vendors, and dhabas fear their earnings will be severely hit by the move.

Arsalan, the owner of the dhaba, said he fears that Kanwariyas will not eat at his place due to his Muslim name.

"My dhaba is named Baba ka Dhaba, like every third dhaba on this route. More than half of my staff are Hindus. We serve only vegetarian food here and even avoid using garlic and onion during Shravan (monsoon).

"Still, as the owner, I had to display my name. I have also decided to change the name of the dhaba. I fear that Kanwariyas after looking at a Muslim name will not come and eat at my place," he said.

With such limited business, I cannot afford to hire extra staff this year," Arsalan explained.

Lakhs of Shiva devotees, called Kanwariyas, visit Haridwar during the Kanwar Yatra every year during 'Shravan' (monsoon) to collect water from the Ganga.

The order has not just impacted the earnings or Muslim owners and their staff but also Muslim staff working in eateries owned by Hindu owners.

Animesh Tyagi, who owns a roadside eatery just outside the main market in Khatauli said, "A Muslim man used to work on the tandoor at my restaurant. But due to this issue, I asked him to leave. Because people can make an issue over it. We don't want such trouble here." Tyagi said he has called another man, a Hindu this time, to work at the tandoor.

A few other 'dhaba' owners also complained about the lack of specific directions in the government order on how the names are to be displayed at their outlets.

"The administration has put out an order but has not made anything specific. There are no guidelines about the size and font in which the name of the owner is to be written," said Deepak Pandit, who runs a tea stall along the Kanwar Yatra route in the district.

People have approached the local administration and even the elected representatives of their area.

Madan Bhaiya, the RLD MLA from Khatauli constituency, said that he has also received complaints from the local eateries who have been affected by the recent order.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is currently an alliance partner of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

"It seems that the recent order to put out names was issued in a hurry. It is harming the poor daily wagers and small shopkeepers the most," the MLA said.

He said that he is coordinating with his workers on the ground to help those affected by it. "Our ideology is against any form of discrimination on the basis of religion and caste," he added.

Bhuwan Joshi, an office bearer of district unit of Samajwadi Party said the order aims to polarise the society.

He said, "A stretch of over 240 kilometres of the route taken by Kanwariyas passes through Muzaffarnagar district. Thousands of small restaurants and food stalls are located along this route. This order will affect everyone who works there." "The order sadly seems to just be an effort to polarise the society on the basis of religion on the direction of the state government," Joshi said.

Despite mounting criticism the state governments has defended the order, saying it will ensure that no law-and-order situation arises and so that there is no confusion among Kanwariyas. The order was being followed voluntarily, the district police has said.