BJP’s Manoj Tiwari Had Tea At A Muslim Vendor’s Shop on Kanwar Yatra Route. Here’s Why | Exclusive

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari on Monday told News18 that he had tea at the shop of a Muslim vendor on the Kanwar Yatra route while he was returning from Haridwar on Sunday, but this was because he was not part of the yatra.

The Supreme Court on Monday put an interim stay on the enforcement of an Uttar Pradesh government’s order which specified that proprietors must display their names on their eateries on the kanwariya route. It said the owners will be required to display the kind of food they are selling to the kanwariyas.

“The proprietor’s name must be known. While returning from Haridwar yesterday, I saw that the proprietor of a particular shop was a Muslim and I had tea there…this was because I am not on Kanwar Yatra. If someone is going on that yatra, he wants to avoid such a shop for his purity, then what is the objection? How can a kanwariya eat at a place where non-vegetarian food is cooked daily?” Tiwari, the BJP MP from North-East Delhi told News18.

He said just before he had arrived at the said shop, there had been a dispute nearby as onion and garlic had been served to some kanwariyas. “If a Muslim brother keeps roza, he goes by his rules during that period. In kanwaria yatra too, their food has to be pious. And it is only for 20 days to a month…let them have the freedom to choose where they want to eat,” Tiwari told News18.

He said putting a board of one’s name is a rule as per the existing law. “This law was brought in the Congress government rule. It is the opposition which is making the issue religious. This issue is not religious…it is linked to devotion,” Tiwari said. The SC on Monday has however put an interim stay on the enforcement of the orders and issued a notice to the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

BJP MP from Unnao in UP, Sakshi Maharaj, told News18 that people who speak of census in the name of caste are criticising the kanwaria yatra order. “Wasn’t a divide to be caused in the name of a caste census too?” Maharaj asked. Independent MP from Nagina in UP, Chandrashekhar Azad, meanwhile, said the order was a slap on the face of the Uttar Pradesh government. “This is a win for the Constitution…will the BJP now also term also the Supreme Court as an opposition force or say it is against religion,” Azad asked.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav posted on X – “It should be written on a new ‘name-plate’: Harmony prevails!”