On July 22, the Supreme Court deemed the Uttar Pradesh government’s directives as discriminatory. The directives mandated shop owners along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners, extending statewide by the Muzaffarnagar Police. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and the NGO Association of Protection of Civil Rights challenged these orders, citing they incite communal tensions and economic boycotts of Muslim traders. Justice Hrishikesh Roy criticized the directive for contravening constitutional norms, while Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi highlighted its conflict with FSSAI regulations.
Thank you Supreme Court of India. pic.twitter.com/Gzl1VIL6ob
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 22, 2024
The controversial order has been widely criticised by opposition parties and some allies of the ruling NDA at the Centre. The opposition alleges that it unfairly targets Muslim traders.