Indian Muslim group condemns 'discriminatory' eateries order

An Indian Muslim group has raised concern about the Uttar Pradesh state's government "discriminatory" order for eateries to identify their owners.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, India's largest socioreligious Muslim organisation, expressed concern about the order by the state's government that asked eateries –– including roadside carts –– to display the names of their owners to "avoid confusion" during a Hindu holy pilgrimage when thousands of worshippers will make the journey on foot.

"This is a completely discriminatory and communal decision, anti-national elements will get an opportunity to benefit from this decision and there is fear of serious damage to communal harmony due to this new decree which violates the fundamental rights of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution," Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani said in a statement.

"All the citizens of the country have been given complete freedom in the constitution to wear what they want, eat what they want. There will be no hindrance in their personal choice because this is a matter of the basic rights of the citizens."

Madani said his group has called a meeting of its "legal team tomorrow to discuss the legal aspects of this unconstitutional, illegal order."

Earlier this week, police in the state's Muzaffarnagar district initially ordered all eateries along the pilgrimage route to display the names of their owners.

Days later, the state government extended the controversial order across the state, local daily Indian Express reported Friday.

Police in Haridwar in neighbouring Uttarakhand's Haridwar issued similar directions Friday.

Opposition leaders have criticised the government for the order.

"The divisive order to put up name boards of the owners of carts, kiosks and shops in Uttar Pradesh is an attack on our Constitution, our democracy and our shared heritage," said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a senior leader of the opposition Indian National Congress party, while demanding that the order be withdrawn immediately.

A minister from Uttar Pradesh, however, defended the government's stance as a "matter of social harmony."

State Minister Kapil Dev Aggarwal accused politicians of giving it a Hindu-Muslim angle. "But it is not. It is a matter of social harmony," he said.