Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday slammed the BJP-led government over its order to display names of shop owners situated along the Kanwar Yatra route across Uttar Pradesh and demanded its immediate roll back.
Asserting that the order is an attack on the Constitution of India, she called it “divisive”.
Reacting to the Uttar Pradesh government’s order, she said on ‘X’, “Our Constitution guarantees every citizen that they will not be discriminated against on the basis of caste, religion, language or any other basis. The divisive order to put up boards with the names of their owners on carts, kiosks and shops in Uttar Pradesh is an attack on our Constitution, our democracy and our common heritage.
“Creating division in the society on the basis of caste and religion is a crime against the Constitution. This order should be immediately withdrawn and strict action should be taken against the officers who issued it.”
Notably, the UP Congress has already opposed the decision.
Besides UP Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati have also criticised the state government over the matter.
Janta Dal (United), one of the major constituents of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre and in Bihar, also opposed the move of the UP government.
JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said “it would be good if this is reviewed”.
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has categorically said that shopkeepers will have to write their names on Kanwar routes across the state.