By Akhilesh Tripathi
The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and part of both the Uttar Pradesh and central governments, has expressed strong objections to a recent directive issued by the UP government. The directive has been deemed controversial and unusual by many, including the RLD’s state president, Ramashish Rai. Rai criticized the directive, stating, “This order promotes communalism. Requiring names and religions to be displayed is unconstitutional. The state government should retract this inappropriate order.”
The directive in question mandates that the names of owners be prominently displayed on all shops, restaurants, and even vehicles along the route of a specific religious procession. This has sparked significant backlash, drawing parallels to discriminatory practices in Nazi Germany.
This directive was initially issued in Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur and Shamli, but following the rising backlash Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended it to all Kanwar Yatra routes across the state.
Renowned lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar also condemned the directive. He remarked, “In Nazi Germany, special markings were made on certain shops and houses. Why should the names of owners be prominently displayed on shops, restaurants, and vehicles along the route of a specific religious procession? Only in Nazi Germany were specific shops and houses targeted.”
Despite widespread criticism, the UP government has yet to revoke the order. The ongoing controversy raises questions about the government’s intentions and has sparked concerns about communal harmony in the state.
