Sanjeev Kumar, a lawyer, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the nameplate controversy during the Kanwar Yatra. The petition urges the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh to mandate all restaurants to clearly label whether the meat they serve is Halal or Jhatka. Additionally, it calls for similar requirements for food delivery apps like Swiggy and Zomato.
The petition argues that restaurants not offering Jhatka meat option could violate constitutional provisions including Article 17 (untouchability), Article 19(1)(G), and Article 15. It seeks the Supreme Court’s direction to make Kumar a party to the existing case and hear his perspective alongside other pending petitions.
Supreme Court on TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s petition
Earlier, regarding the petition filed by Mahua Moitra, the court asked whether the government had passed any formal order on this matter. Singhvi responded that the government was implementing it indirectly and that the Police Commissioner was issuing such instructions. Singhvi mentioned that the Kanwar Yatra had been going on for centuries without any previous discussion of this aspect. The Supreme Court emphasized that the situation should not be presented in a way that exaggerates the ground reality, and highlighted the importance of balancing security, standards, and secularism.
Singhvi noted that the Meerut Police and subsequently the Muzaffarnagar Police had issued notices. The Supreme Court questioned whether the Kanwariyas expected the food to be cooked by someone from a particular class and whether they expected to receive food from a specific shopkeeper. Singhvi clarified that the Kanwariyas had been performing the Yatra for many years.
