UP Kanwar Yatra order: Both Muslim and Hindu owners ask staff to quit, small dhabas fear hit to income
Kanwariyas. He would get Rs 400-600 and at least two meals every day for the job.
This year, however, his employer, Mohammad Arsalan, asked him to look for other jobs as he cannot afford to hire extra staff, expecting that his earnings will take a hit due to the Uttar Pradesh government's orders to owners of hotels, restaurants, food carts and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners at their outlets.
After the Muzaffarnagar Police issued the order, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday extended the controversial order across the state. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said similar instructions are already in place in his state as well.
The order has snowballed into a controversy with opposition parties, civil society and even some ruling alliance leaders criticising it.
«It was a good source of income as finding other jobs in this season is very difficult because construction and farm work don't happen much in the monsoon season where I could get a job as a labourer,» Pal told PTI.
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«I joined the 'dhaba' a week ago but now the owner has asked me to look for work elsewhere,» he said.
Small fruit vendors, and dhabas fear their earnings will be severely hit by the move.
Arsalan, the owner of the dhaba, said he fears that Kanwariyas will not eat at his place due to his Muslim name.
«My dhaba is named Baba ka Dhaba, like every third dhaba on this route. More than half
