Muzaffarnagar: Renowned Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday found themselves courting controversy over their outspoken criticism of a latest administrative order in Muzaffarnagar involving religious processions. The order mandates all eatery shop owners to prominently display the owner's name ahead of the Kanwar Yatra (a religious pilgrimage of Hindus) to which they argued this move is intended to discourage pilgrims from purchasing from Muslim-owned shops.

Owaisi quickly condemned the order, claiming it creates religious discrimination. On his X account, he likened this order to Jewish boycott practices. He wrote, "As per the order of Uttar Pradesh Police, now every food shop or cart owner will have to put his name on the board so that no Kanwadia buys anything from a Muslim shop by mistake. This was called Apartheid in South Africa and in Hitler's Germany it was called 'Judenboycott'."

Akhtar also expressed his opinion similar to the politician and compared it to Nazi Germany's discriminatory practices. He posted on X, “Muzaffarnagar UP police has given instructions that on the route of a particular religious procession in near future all the shops, restaurants and even vehicles should show the name of the owner prominently and clearly. Why? In Nazi Germany, they used to make only a mark on particular shops and houses.”

These comments have sparked a storm on social media. The duo's comments received massive backlash from the users. A user wrote, "Your comparison of Muzaffarnagar UP police's instructions to Nazi Germany is highly misleading and inflammatory... Such comparisons can incite unnecessary fear and division."

Another user defended the order, stating, "The rule is applicable to all, Hindus and Muslims alike. It is transparency, not communalism. Have faith in Hindus; they will purchase from Muslim vendors as well."

The controversy arose after Muzaffarnagar SP Abhishek Singh ordered shopkeepers, dhabas, fruit sellers and tea stalls along the Kanwar Yatra route to display names of proprietors or employees on their establishments or vending carts. He stated that this move was aimed at preventing confusion among yatris and potential law and order problems.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Abhishek Singh said, "Preparations have begun for the Kanwar Yatra. In the area under our jurisdiction, which is around 240 km, all eateries -- hotels, dhabas, thelas (roadside carts) -- have been instructed to display the names of their proprietors or those running the shop. This is being done to ensure that there’s no confusion among the kanwarias and no allegations are raised in the future, leading to a law and order situation. Everyone is following this of their own free will.”

The Kanwar Yatra is scheduled to start on July 22 and will end on August 2, 2024.