Kanwar Yatra order: Both Muslim and Hindu owners ask staff to quit, small dhabas fear hit to income
Muzaffarnagar (UP) (PTI): For the past seven years, Brijesh Pal, a daily wager, would work at a roadside dhaba in Khatauli area of Muzaffarnagar during the two months of Shravan to help his Muslim owner manage the heavy footfall of customers, mainly the Kanwariyas.
He would get Rs 400-600 and at least two meals every day for the job.
This year, however, his employer, Mohammad Arsalan, asked him to look for other jobs as he cannot afford to hire extra staff, expecting that his earnings will take a hit due to the Uttar Pradesh government's orders to owners of hotels, restaurants, food carts and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners at their outlets.
After the Muzaffarnagar Police issued the order, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday extended the controversial order across the state. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said similar instructions are already in place in his state as well.
The order has snowballed into a controversy with opposition parties, civil society and even some ruling alliance leaders criticising it.
"It was a good source of income as finding other jobs in this season is very difficult because construction and farm work don't happen much in the monsoon season where I could get a job as a labourer," Pal told PTI.
"I joined the 'dhaba' a week ago but now the owner has asked me to look for work elsewhere," he said.
Small fruit vendors, and dhabas fear their earnings will be severely hit by the move.
Arsalan, the owner of the dhaba, said he fears that Kanwariyas will not eat at his place due to his Muslim name.
"My dhaba is named Baba ka Dhaba, like every third dhaba on this route. More than half of my staff are Hindus. We serve only vegetarian food here and even avoid using garlic and onion during Shravan (monsoon).
"Still, as the owner, I had to display my name. I have also decided to change the name of the dhaba. I fear that Kanwariyas after looking at a Muslim name will not come and eat at my place," he said.
With such limited business, I cannot afford to hire extra staff this year," Arsalan explained.
Lakhs of Shiva devotees, called Kanwariyas, visit Haridwar during the Kanwar Yatra every year during 'Shravan' (monsoon) to collect water from the Ganga.
The order has not just impacted the earnings of Muslim owners and their staff but also Muslim staff working in eateries owned by Hindu owners.
Animesh Tyagi, who owns a roadside eatery just outside the main market in Khatauli said, "A Muslim man used to work on the tandoor at my restaurant. But due to this issue, I asked him to leave. Because people can make an issue over it. We don't want such trouble here."
Tyagi said he has called another man, a Hindu this time, to work at the tandoor.
A few other 'dhaba' owners also complained about the lack of specific directions in the government order on how the names are to be displayed at their outlets.
"The administration has put out an order but has not made anything specific. There are no guidelines about the size and font in which the name of the owner is to be written," said Deepak Pandit, who runs a tea stall along the Kanwar Yatra route in the district.
People have approached the local administration and even the elected representatives of their area.
Madan Bhaiya, the RLD MLA from Khatauli constituency, said that he has also received complaints from the local eateries who have been affected by the recent order.
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is currently an alliance partner of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
"It seems that the recent order to put out names was issued in a hurry. It is harming the poor daily wagers and small shopkeepers the most," the MLA said.
He said that he is coordinating with his workers on the ground to help those affected by it. "Our ideology is against any form of discrimination on the basis of religion and caste," he added.
Bhuwan Joshi, an office bearer of district unit of Samajwadi Party said the order aims to polarise the society.
He said, "A stretch of over 240 kilometres of the route taken by Kanwariyas passes through Muzaffarnagar district. Thousands of small restaurants and food stalls are located along this route. This order will affect everyone who works there."
"The order sadly seems to just be an effort to polarise the society on the basis of religion on the direction of the state government," Joshi said.
Despite mounting criticism the state governments has defended the order, saying it will ensure that no law-and-order situation arises and so that there is no confusion among Kanwariyas. The order was being followed voluntarily, the district police has said.
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Child rape-murder: Hundreds protest on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune; traffic hit
Pune (PTI): Hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune to protest the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, leading to traffic disruption on the busy route for about four hours.
The girl's family members and other demonstrators placed the body on the road in the Navale Bridge area on Saturday evening and demanded stringent punishment for the 65-year-old man arrested in the case.
Several videos surfaced showing a huge traffic jam on the highway.
Later, the victim's last rites were performed at the Vaikunt crematorium here shortly after midnight amid tight police security.
The accused man, who works as a labourer and has a criminal record, allegedly lured the girl with the promise of food on Friday in the Bhor tehsil of Pune district. He then took her to a cattle enclosure where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to the police.
He was arrested based on CCTV footage from a private residence, which captured him with the child.
A case was registered against him under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and he has been remanded in police custody till May 7.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Saturday met the family of the victim, assuring them of strict action against the accused and a fast-track trial.
Describing the incident as "shocking" and a "blot on humanity", Pawar said the government stands firmly with the victim's family and will ensure justice.
She also spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought a fast-track court trial so that the accused receives the harshest punishment.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde directed Pune rural police to gather concrete evidence to build a watertight case and conduct the trial in a fast-track court.
Efforts should be made to ensure the accused gets the death penalty, a statement quoted Shinde as saying.
