Amid row over the Uttar Pradesh government's directive for eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owner's name, yoga guru Baba Ramdev has defended the controversial order, stating "everyone should be proud of their name."
Defending the 'nameplate' order, Ramdev said on Sunday: "If Ramdev has no problem revealing his identity, then why should Rahman have a problem? Everyone should be proud of their names. There is no need to hide the name. If our work is pure, it does not matter if we are Hindu, Muslim or from any other community."
Ramdev's stance comes as BJP-ruled Ujjain Municipal Corporation followed the UP government's footsteps to direct shop owners to display their names and mobile numbers outside their establishments. Violators will have to pay a Rs 2,000 fine for the first offence and Rs 5,000 if they defy this order for the second time, Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal said on Saturday. This order is aimed at ensuring safety and transparency and not intended to target Muslim shop-keepers, the mayor said.
Ujjain, the hometown of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, is known for its sacred Mahakal temple, attracting devotees from around the globe, especially during the Savaan month, which starts on Monday.
Tatwal said the Mayor-in-Council of Ujjain had approved a proposal for shopkeepers to display their names on September 26, 2002, followed by the Corporation House, and subsequently sent it to the state government for objections and formalities. "All formalities have been already completed. The implementation was delayed as the nameplates were initially required to be of the same size and colour. Now, we have relaxed these terms. Displaying the names and mobile numbers of shopkeepers will suffice," he told PTI over the phone.
He stressed that the measure is rooted in the MP Shop Establishment Act or Gumasta License, and it serves to enhance customer safety. "Ujjain is a religious and holy city. People come here with religious aastha (faith). They have the right to know about the shopkeeper whose services they are availing. If a customer is dissatisfied or cheated, knowing the shopkeeper's details allows them to seek redress," the mayor said.
(With PTI inputs)
