As saffron-clad Shiva devotees pour into Uttar Pradesh for the annual Kanwar Yatra, a new identity-linked measure—encouraging QR code payments to trace the ownership of shops and eateries—has triggered a storm of political controversy, accusations of communal profiling, and legal scrutiny.
Under the Yogi Adityanath-led government’s directives, eateries and food stalls along the 540-km-long Kanwar route, stretching from Meerut to Muzaffarnagar, are being asked to display the names and contact details of their owners. The BJP’s justification: when QR codes are used for payments, the name of the account holder appears, helping pilgrims "identify" who is running the establishment.
“We are not targeting any religion, but pilgrims have the right to know who is cooking their food. QR codes help ensure transparency,” said BJP spokesperson Sanjay Chaudhry. He added, “This is about Hindu pride and food purity during a religious pilgrimage.”
However, this seemingly simple step has taken on a communal hue. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists are actively scanning QR codes at roadside dhabas, verifying the owner's identity, questioning vendors about their religion, and marking “Hindu-friendly” stalls with saffron flags and posters of Hindu deities. In several cases, QR scans have become a tool for what opposition parties are calling “identity policing.”
At a dhaba in Meerut, VHP member Manoj Mishra said, “If the name on the QR code doesn’t match what’s on the signboard, we raise questions. We also tell them to stop using garlic and onions. Food served to Kanwariyas must be satvik.”
Many devotees approve. “Now it’s easier to decide where to eat. If the name is visible on the QR code, there’s no confusion,” said Aman, a pilgrim from Ghaziabad. Another devotee, Pawan Kumar, said, “We only eat where we’re sure about the food’s sanctity. The Yogi government is doing the right thing.”
The state government’s earlier directive had already mandated nameplates outside all dhabas, banning the open sale of meat and requiring valid licences. Minister of State Kapil Dev Agarwal reinforced the order, insisting the “real names” of owners be displayed publicly.
Political backlash
The move has drawn strong criticism from opposition parties and rights groups. Congress MP Imran Masood accused the BJP of “deliberately stoking religious divisions,” calling the QR code tracking a “backdoor communal tool.”
Former Samajwadi Party MP Dr. S.T. Hasan went further, saying, “Forcing vendors to reveal their religion through QR payments is no different from terrorist tactics. This is soft terrorism meant to polarize society.”
Despite such criticism, BJP leaders have doubled down. “This is not about discrimination—it’s about protecting our faith and tradition,” said Sanjay Chaudhry. “We won’t allow love jihad, land jihad, or food jihad to creep in.”
Supreme Court steps in
On July 22, the Supreme Court stayed the state’s directive, stating that mandatory disclosure of ownership details through signboards infringes on the right to privacy. The court allowed shops to identify food types (veg or non-veg), but prohibited religious profiling or forced name disclosures.
But just two months later, on September 24, the UP government doubled down with a fresh order extending the rule statewide. The revised guidelines mandated not just name displays but also CCTV cameras, food safety protocols, and police verification of all staff members.
In Uttarakhand too, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered similar measures, asking all shops along the Kanwar path to display names and licences or face fines of up to ₹2 lakh.
Massive preparations underway
According to DIG Kalanidhi Naithani, heavy police deployment is in place across Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, and Baghpat. A total of 838 rest camps, 119 security barriers, and 10 toll checkpoints have been arranged. Over 20 lakh pilgrims are expected to visit the Baba Puramahadev temple in Baghpat alone between July 11 and July 23.
While the state projects these efforts as ensuring safety and sanctity during the yatra, critics argue the QR-code driven identity check is a veiled form of religious profiling. With political, legal, and communal tensions rising, the digital scan for “identity” has taken centre stage in one of India’s largest annual pilgrimages.
