Kanwar directives to ensure peace, quell confusion: UP govt in SC

The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday defended its directive requiring eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners and staff, saying the idea was to bring in transparency, avoid "potential confusion" and ensure a peaceful yatra. On July 22, the apex court ordered an interim stay on the directives issued by the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments. "It may be noted that the idea behind the directives is transparency and informed choice of the consumer/kanwaria regarding the food they eat during the period of the Yatra, keeping in mind their religious sentiments so that they don't, even accidently, fall foul of their beliefs," the Uttar Pradesh government said in its reply on pleas challenging the directive. The directives asking eateries along the Kanwar Yatra routes were decried by the opposition as intended to promote religious discrimination. The Uttar Pradesh government said in its submission to the Supreme Court that care is taken