Baba Ramdev Defends Kanwar Yatra Name Directive: “Embrace Your Identity”

Yoga guru and entrepreneur Baba Ramdev has expressed his support for the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments’ directive that mandates shopkeepers along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their names. Ramdev highlighted the significance of being proud of one’s identity.

“If I have no issue in revealing my identity, why should anyone else? Everyone should take pride in their name. There’s no need to conceal it; only purity in work is necessary. If our work is pure, our religion or community does not matter,” he stated on Sunday morning.

Following suit, Ujjain’s municipal body also issued a directive requiring shop owners to display their names. Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal announced that violators would face a ₹2,000 fine for the first offence and ₹5,000 for repeated non-compliance.

“Ujjain is a city of religious significance. Visitors come here with faith. They have the right to know the shopkeeper’s identity whose services they use. If dissatisfied or cheated, knowing the shopkeeper’s details helps them seek redress,” he said.

The directive has sparked controversy. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi argued that it reflects growing hostility towards Muslims in India. “Fear on UP’s Kanwar routes: This is the reality of hatred for Indian Muslims. Political parties, leaders of Hindutva, and so-called secular parties are responsible for this visceral hatred,” he stated on ‘X’.

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat criticized the Uttar Pradesh government, asserting, “The Uttar Pradesh government is undermining the Constitution of India with such orders. They are humiliating an entire community and attempting to divide society. This type of targeting was done by Nazis in Germany. I condemn it.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut accused the BJP of creating division. “Now you’re directing food stalls to put up nameplates based on caste and religion? Do you want to divide the country? This won’t benefit you. You are disrupting national unity,” he said.

Conversely, West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar accused the Opposition of misleading the public, noting that similar notifications were issued during the Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav governments.