Patna: Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s stance on the controversial directive issued by the Uttar Pradesh police, asking fruit sellers along the ‘Kanwar Yatra’ route to display their names at their stalls, has sparked a debate. Manjhi, who is the founder of the Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S), sees nothing wrong with the directive, stating that “it is merely a measure to help buyers identify their favourite stalls easily”.
“I cannot speak for other parties, but I see nothing wrong with such an order.What is the harm if people involved in businesses are asked to display their names and addresses prominently?” Manjhi said. The HAM-S is an ally of the BJP in the NDA.
“In fact, the display of the name of shopowners only makes it easy for buyers to spot a favourite stall. It is wrong to view the episode through the prism of religion,” said septuagenarian Manjhi, who made his parliamentary debut from Gaya seat in the 2024 general elections, said.
Manjhi’s stand on the issue differs from that of his fellow Dalit leader and Union minister Chirag Paswan, who disapproved of the directive, citing the harm caused by casteism and communalism in the country.
The opposition parties have alleged that the directive aims to push Muslim fruit sellers out of business during the pilgrimage season, a claim that the UP government has denied.
The JD(U), a key ally of the BJP in Bihar, has also criticized the directive, with its senior leader K C Tyagi invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “sabka saath sabka vikas” (development for all) slogan. Tyagi pointed out that similar directives have not been issued in other states associated with the Kanwar Yatra, such as Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan.

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