Hyderabad: All India Majlis-E-Ittehad ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has reacted strongly over the discrimination of Muslim businessmen asked to display their names in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar during Kanwar Yatra.
Speaking to reporters, Owaisi voiced his concern over the discrimination based on religious identity.
“We condemn it because it is a violation of Article 17 of the Constitution, which talks about untouchability. The Uttar Pradesh government is promoting untouchability,” he said while pointing fingers at the Yogi Adityanath government.
“By identifying this as a Hindu shop and that as a Muslim shop, you are boycotting a certain group. This is a clear discrimination by the Uttar Pradesh government,” Owaisi added.
He said the path also contains McDonalds, KFC outlets which have not been given the order. “Why is the UP government not saying anything to them? Is there a secret deal behind this?” he sarcastically said.
He said the boycott of Muslim businessmen and vendors is unfortunate. “Who gave you the right to prepare an order? It is the destruction of their livelihood,” he said.
He also said that due to the order, many Muslim workers have lost their jobs. “Ever since the Uttar Pradesh government has given the order, Muslim employees have been removed from all the shops in Muzaffarnagar…Will you work for only one community? Where is the Constitution? I challenge Yogi Adityanath to issue a written order if he has the courage,” Owaisi said.
Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district sent notices to restaurants, fruit shops, roadside dhabas and hotel owners to display their names in front of the shops in order to identify which religious community they belong to.
“The Kanwar yatra route from Muzaffarnagar is around 240 km. We have sent notices to all hotel managements, dhabas owners, fruit vendors to display their names so that there is no confusion and no law and order situation arises,” senior superintendent of police (SSP) said.
