India court rules against dividing eateries by religion in BJP-ruled states
Al JazeeraJul 20
India: Top Court Blocks Govt Order to Divide Eateries by Religion
Above: Hindu devotees undertake the Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage by devotees of Lord Shiva, carrying the holy river Ganga water to their villages on foot. Image copyright: Sondeep Shankar/Contributor/Hulton Archive via Getty Images
The Facts
India's Supreme Court has ordered an interim block on the directives issued by two Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states requiring eateries along a Hindu pilgrimage route to display their owners' names.
Issuing notices to Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand state administrations, the court ordered eateries to display the kind of food they were serving to the pilgrims.
The Spin
Narrative A
The directive for eateries to display their owners' names was to ensure that the devotees were served vegetarian food. It's wrong for Muslims to hide their identity and use Hindu names to serve non-vegetarian dishes or a meal full of onion and garlic to pious pilgrims, potentially interfering with dietary and cultural practices.
Narrative B
This is India's version of South Africa's Apartheid and Germany's Judenboycott. The directive aims to prevent Hindu pilgrims from purchasing food from Muslim-owned establishments, enforcing religious segregation. Such policies fuel religious discrimination and increase hate crimes against the Muslim minority, reflecting growing tensions under India's Hindu-nationalist government.
Narrative C
The eateries rule impacts both Hindus and Muslims badly. While Muslims suffer a direct loss of livelihood, Hindu-run businesses also see their business plummet when Muslim-owned eateries close down. The policy has created financial strain and social discord, disrupting religious harmony.