Name Plate Controversy

The recent order requiring eateries in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand to display name plates–which has been stayed by the Supreme Court–has drawn chilling comparisons to apartheid-era South Africa and Nazi Germany, where Jews were forced to identify their businesses, precursing brutal persecution.

In the 2024 general elections, the decline of the electoral clout of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its failure to reach the majority mark sparked hope that the democratic decline in values of pluralism and diversity may see a recovery. No, that is not happening. For the BJP it is business as usual.

In Muzaffarnagar, the deputy inspector general of police (DIG) issued instructions that on the route of the Kanwar Yatra (a Holy procession devoted to Lord Shiva) all the eateries, stalls, and hotels should display the names of owners and workers' rights in front.

Notably, the Supreme Court on July 21 stayed these directions issued by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments, which directed eateries in the Kanwar Yatra route to display nameplates. Several parties, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Delhi University Professor Apoorvanand and former India head of Amnesty International Aakar Patel, challenged the direction on the ground that it targets Muslim-owned businesses by compelling individuals to reveal their religious identity.

As per the directive that was issued by the Uttar Pradesh local administration, "All the food outlets, eateries, and food joints across the state 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 (a holy month as per the Hindu calendar),” the administration had claimed, justifying the move. Uttarakhand had joined Uttar Pradesh in announcing the rule, and multiple other BJP-governed states were set to follow suit, signalling a broader adoption of this policy.

In the face of criticism, the state administration added that this has to be done voluntarily. This is a very interesting order, where does the volition exist for those who are supposed to follow it? The honourable prime minister, the supreme leader has maintained a stoic silence on this order, indicating that this is the policy of the party. This move has been criticised by the BJP’s NDA allies like Janata Dal-United (JD-U)), Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas Pasvan), among others. In truth the allies of BJP, otherwise opportunist to the core, don’t matter to the prime minister, and the BJP will rule the roost. BJP’s new partners of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh are happy that Modi’s budget has awarded them enough doles to keep quiet.

However, this is probably the most divisive step taken by the BJP. Already Muslim employees of Hindu establishments on the route have been laid off. The whole notion of purity and pollution should not be applicable in present times. The Kanwar Yatra from Haridwar to the local Shiva temples is a fairly old phenomenon. It became more prominent during the last few decades, from the 1980s onwards, quite in tune with the rise of politics in the name of religion, beginning with the Ram Temple movement. Now lakhs and lakhs of people participate in it.

In Nazi Germany, the Jews were on the receiving end of fascist politics. They were asked to display the 'Star of David' in front of their establishments and wear the same on their body. Their persecution became easy as already their establishments could be easily identified. On the Kanwar route, the step seems to be an anticipatory one and it is likely that the BJP in other states, on other pretext may find this an easy way to identify Muslims.

At present, it seems that sectarian politics has deep roots in the body politic of the nation. Electorally defeating this party and its opportunist allies is a mere first step to restoring pluralism in the country.

[Contributed by Ram Puniyani]

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Vol 57, No. 7, Aug 11 - 17, 2024