Javed Akhtar reacts to Kanwar route-UP eateries row: ‘In Nazi Germany…’

On Monday, UP police had ordered the shop owners to display their names to avoid any “confusion” inviting outrage.

Renowned screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar on Thursday slammed Uttar Pradesh police's decision ordering eatery owners on the Kanwar route to display their names.

Javed Akhtar questioned the UP police's decision demanding shop owners to display their names in front of their shops.(AP)

“Muzaffarnagar UP police has given instructions that on the route of a particular religious procession in near future all the shops restaurants n even vehicles should show the name of the owner prominently and clearly. Why? In Nazi Germany they used to make only a mark on particular shops and houses,” Javed Akhtar wrote in a post on social media platform X.

On Monday, UP police had ordered the shop owners to display their names to avoid any “confusion”.

"Preparations of Sawan month have started in the district. About 240 km of Kanwar Yatra route falls in the district. All the eateries, including hotels, dhabas and carts, on the route have been asked to display the names of their proprietors or those working on these shops,"Muzaffarnagar police chief Abhishek Singh said on Monday.

The decision sparked backlash from opposition parties as they saw the move aimed at targeting Muslims.

AIMIM president and Hyderbad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday compared it to Apartheid and boycott of Jewish businesses in Nazi Germany.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera called the order “state-sponsored bigotry”.

Muzaffarnagar police stated that a large number of Kanwariyas collect water from Haridwar and pass through Muzaffarnagar during the Shravan Kanwar Yatra and these pilgrims abstain from certain food in their diet.

The police further added that shopkeepers selling different items have created a law and order situation in the district and this move does not aim to create any rift on the basis of religion but only to help the devotees.

Earlier on July 9, the Vishva Hindu Parishad in a statement claimed that Muslims are puja items at various Hindu pilgrimage centres hiding their real name. VHP's secretary general Bajrang Bagra urged the state government to take necessary steps to ensure that the faith of Hindus are “not hurt”. Bagra also appealed to the people to remain vigilant and inform the authorities if they find people from minority communities selling puja items near temples, reported PTI.

(with inputs from news agencies)