PUCL Uttar Pradesh: Orders on Kanwad Yatra are unconstitutional and criminal in nature
Tags: kawad yatra, kanwad yatra, uttar pradesh, government order, name plates
Related Issue: Right against discrimination, Social and Economic Boycott
PUCL Uttar Pradesh strongly condemns Uttar Pradesh DIG Ajay Kumar Sahani’s dictat to put up the name of the owners of any hotel, shops or even stalls that are on the Kanwad Yatra route. The order passed by the administrative officer goes against the basic tenets of India and hence it is unconstitutional and criminal in nature.
Recently the DIG of UP issued orders stating that the owners of shops, stalls or hotels which are on the Kanwad Yatra route would need to put up their real names along with their workers’ on their establishment. The SSP of Muzaffarnagar took cognizance of the order and issued a similar order for the concerned district. Their contention is that this is being done so that, ‘Kanwadiyas won’t be in any kind of confusion while buying anything on their trip.’
It is not difficult to understand what kind of ‘confusion’ these two prominent officers are talking about. Both the orders further communal and casteist discrimination in our society which the Indian Constitution aims to end. Article 15 of the Indian Constitution forbids discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth but the above-mentioned order directly contradicts that. Apart from furthering social disharmony, it also encourages economic boycott of minorities and the dalit community. Because such an order came from administrative officers deputed on high posts, it is not just criminal but also worrisome as it directly goes against the basic tenets of India.
Uttar Pradesh PUCL condemns these government orders and demands the following:
1. Uttar Pradesh government to rescind these orders immediately.
2. Take appropriate action against the concerned police officers.
3. Since it is a government order, courts should initiate suo-moto proceedings against the responsible people and punish them accordingly.
4. Government officers should be trained to imbibe the ideals of the Indian Constitution.
PUCL Uttar Pradesh Executive Committee
Seema Azad (President, PUCL – Uttar Pradesh)