The Supreme Court on Friday extended its interim stay on the directive issued by the Uttar Pradesh government for eateries on Kanwar Yatra route. The honorable court noted that no one can be forced to disclose names.
While the government sternly stood by its directive it informed the court that the directive was issued to ensure a peaceful pilgrimage. “The yatra is an arduous journey, where some Kanwariyas do not rest once the Kanwar is on their shoulders. There are sacred features of the pilgrimage, such as the fact that the Kanwar, once filled with holy Gangajal happens after years”, said the government in a statement.
The Uttar Pradesh government claimed that the directive was introduced in response to specific complaints from Kanwariyas. Pilgrims had allegedly raised concerns about the food being served along the route, which led to apprehensions regarding its preparation in line with religious practices.
The state also drew the court’s attention to “Regulation 2.1.1 (5) of the Food and Safety Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses (Regulations), 2011” and said it “requires registration of all ‘petty food’ businesses and mandatory disclosure of the photo ID of the owner and Registration Certificate, which sadly is lacking in most dhabas, with some even lacking registration”
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