While celebrating Ramadan and Eid, we do not think whether the shopkeeper is a Hindu or a Muslim

Muzaffarnagar. The order of the UP government has created fear among the shopkeepers on the Kanwar Yatra route. CM Yogi Adityanath has ordered to write the name of the shopkeeper on the shops and hotels to avoid any kind of chaos on the Kanwar Yatra route. After this, there is an atmosphere of fear in the Kanwar Yatra route. Kashif Confectionery on a busy road in Muzaffarnagar has put up a poster stating the name of the owner, Furqan. They greet customers with a smile but, they say that we never think whether the shopkeeper is a Hindu or a Muslim while celebrating Ramadan and Eid. Now why are we being asked to reveal our identity? Many customers may turn away after seeing the name of my shop. Everywhere where Muslim businessmen have set up shops, running food shops or selling goods related to the Yatra, there is an atmosphere of despair and fear. Many people have lost their jobs. Some people are preparing to leave from there. According to an estimate, around four crore people undertake the Kanwar Yatra in the country, of these, around 2.5 crore pass through UP.

Kapildev Agarwal, BJP MLA from Muzaffarnagar city and state cabinet minister, had said that Muslims should not name their shops after Hindu gods. On the order issued by the UP government, he says that there is nothing wrong in this order. Some establishments use Hindu names, while their owners are Muslims. We have no objection to this.

Advertisement

The Muslim community says that this step of the government will stop their means of income. This order can be seen as harming a class. He said that this order will have an economic impact. Mohammad Irshad, owner of Shrikhatu Shyam Tourist Dhaba in Bijnor, said that the irony is that this order will harm both the communities. My establishment is on the road used by Kanwariyas. We serve pure vegetarian food and my employees are also Hindus. If customers see my name, the number of visitors will decrease. No matter which religion we belong to, we will have to suffer losses. Business should not be dragged into communal politics.