Shimla: Himachal Pradesh cabinet minister Anirudh Singh has defended the state government’s new regulation requiring eatery owners to prominently display their names outside their establishments.
Echoing the sentiments of urban development minister Vikramaditya Singh, Anirudh Singh emphasised that Himachal Pradesh is fully capable of making its laws, independent of any other state.
“Himachal Pradesh is capable of making its laws. We do not need to follow any state. There is nothing wrong with shops having nameplates. Even prominent businesses display their boards,” Anirudh Singh told IANS.
He further stressed the importance of proper food vending zones across the state, ensuring that all vendors, local or from outside, have to undergo full verification.
He said, “Also we want that there should be proper food vending zones in the entire Himachal Pradesh, where any person, whether he is from Himachal or from outside, works after full verification.”
Ahead of the 10-day Navratri festival beginning on October 3, Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam municipal corporation also passed a resolution stating that all business persons have to display their ID cards in front of their shops.
HP Congress follows Yogi’s UP model
Anirudh Singh’s statement came after an order on Wednesday by the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government, which directed street vendors and food establishments to display the names of their owners, managers, and staff members visibly.
This decision closely follows a similar move in Uttar Pradesh, where chief minister Yogi Adityanath also mandated name displays at eateries, along with the installation of CCTVs in hotels and restaurants.
Anirudh Singh, however, reiterated that the new rule is in line with Himachal Pradesh’s vision for creating organised and regulated food vending zones, ensuring safety and hygiene for all.
The Congress party has consistently criticised the BJP for its Hindutva ideology, accusing it of excluding minorities. However, recent statements from Congress leaders in Himachal Pradesh have raised questions about whether the party itself is shifting towards a softer version of Hindutva in the state.
SC order over ‘name display’ during Kanwar Yatra
During this year’s Kanwar Yatra, the Uttar Pradesh government had also issued a directive for all shopkeepers, including fruit and vegetable vendors and restaurant owners to display their names in front of their establishments. The issue came to light when the Muzaffarnagar district sent notices to display which religious community they belonged to.
Police responded to the notice saying their primary objective was to create a peaceful Kanwar Yatra.
The incident created massive outrage describing it as discriminatory to shopkeepers belonging to other religious communities and a direct violation of Article 17 of the Indian Constitution.
On July 22, the Supreme Court passed an interim order ruling out the UP government’s directive of compelling shopkeepers and restaurant owners to display their names during the Kanwar Yatra.
Issuing notice to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, where the Ujjain municipal body has issued a similar directive, a bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti, however, said eateries may be required to display the kind of food they are serving like they are vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
(with inputs from IANS)
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