The Uttar Pradesh government has told the Supreme Court that the “nameplate” directive was issued to ensure a peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage.

The state government said that the idea behind issuing the directive was to strengthen transparency and informed choice of the pilgrims regarding the food they eat during the period of the Yatra, keeping in mind their religious sentiments.

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“Even small confusions regarding the kind of food they (Kanwariyas) are served, has the potential to hurt their religious sentiments and cause flare-ups, especially in a communally sensitive area like Muzaffarnagar,” said the affidavit sworn by Saharanpur’s Divisional Commissioner.

It added that the directive, limited to the route of the Kanwar Yatra for a period of less than two weeks, was issued solely in the interest of ensuring a peaceful completion of the Kanwar Yatra, in which more than 4.07 crore of Kanwariyas participate annually.

It further said, “The temporary nature of the directives ensures that they do not inflict any permanent discrimination or hardship on the food sellers, simultaneously ensuring maintaining the sentiments of Kanwariyas and their religious beliefs and practices. Moreover, the said guidelines have only been issued for a limited geographical extent.”

The state government said that it is committed to the secular values enshrined in the Constitution, protecting the religious sentiments of every individual regardless of his or her religion and to this end, the government always takes steps to ensure that all religious festivals of all religious denominations are celebrated or carried out peacefully, without offending the religious sentiments of the people, taking measures to prevent any untoward law and order situation.

The top court on Monday had stayed the operation of controversial directives issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments requiring all eateries and dhabas along the Kanwar Yatra route to display names of owners and workers.

Issuing notice on petitions challenging the impugned directives, a Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N. Bhatti remarked that the devotees may be served with food of their choice maintaining standard hygiene.

As per the directives of the state governments, all the food outlets, eateries and food joints across the states will have to put up a “nameplate” displaying the names of owners/proprietors and staff members.

This has been done to maintain the “purity of faith” for Hindu devotees who undertake the Kanwar Yatra in the month of Shravan.

As per the order, those found selling products with Halal certification along the Yatra route will also face penal action.