UP government defends Kanwar order, tells Supreme Court it was to ensure peace
New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh government has opposed petitions challenging its directive requiring shop owners along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display their names. In a detailed submission to the Supreme Court, the state government explained that the directive aimed to ensure a peaceful and orderly pilgrimage.
The government stated that the order was in response to complaints from Kanwariyas regarding confusion caused by the names of shops and eateries. The directive aimed to address concerns about food preparation in line with religious practices.
"The yatra is an arduous journey, where some Kanwariyas , i.e. the Dak Kanwariyas, do not even stop to rest once the Kanwar is on their shoulders. There are sacred features of the pilgrimage, such as the fact that the Kanwar, once filled with holy Gangajal, is not to be kept on the ground; nor under the shadow of the gular tree. It may also be noted that a Kanwaria embarks on the Yatra after years of preparation," the government said in its statement.
The Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage where devotees of Lord Shiva fetch holy water from the Ganges River, sees millions of participants each year. The directive was introduced following specific complaints from Kanwariyas about food quality along the route.
The opposition has criticized the directive as 'anti-Muslim' and accused the government of creating divisions within society. Devotees began their Kanwar Yatra on July 22, on the first Monday of the month of ‘Sawan', and thronged temples across the nation to offer prayers.
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Navdeep Singh's silver upgraded to gold in men's javelin throw F41 at Paralympics
Paris, Sep 7: India's Navdeep Singh's silver medal was upgraded to gold after Iran's Beit Sayah Sadegh was disqualified following a dramatic men's javelin throw F41 final at the Paris Paralympics on Saturday.
This is India's first-ever gold medal in the men's javelin F41 category.
Starting the competition with a foul, the 23-year-old para-athlete from Haryana, who had finished fourth at the Tokyo Games three years ago, came up with a throw of 46.39 metres in his second attempt, propelling him to the second place. But it was his third throw that electrified the stadium.
With a monstrous throw of 47.32 metres, Navdeep shattered the Paralympic record and surged into lead, only for Sadegh to better the Indian's mark and clinch the gold with a record-breaking effort of 47.64 metres in his fifth attempt.
However, the Iranian was disqualified some time after the end of the final, leading to the Indian athlete taking the top spot.
The F41 category is for athletes, who are of short stature.
