Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut has voiced her disagreement with actor Sonu Sood’s views regarding the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive that requires food shops on the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners’ names.
Sonu Sood recently posted on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his opinion that “humanity” should be the only name displayed on shop nameplates. His post stated, “There should be only one name plate on every shop: ‘HUMANITY’.” This remark triggered backlash from social media users who perceived it as criticism of the government’s directive.
Kangana Ranaut responded to Sonu Sood’s stance, asserting, “Agree, Halal should be replaced with ‘HUMANITY’.” Her comment added further fuel to the ongoing debate.
Screenwriter Javed Akhtar also weighed in on the controversy, criticizing the administration. He posted on X, “Muzaffarnagar UP police has given instructions that on the route of a particular religious procession in the near future, all shops, restaurants, and even vehicles should prominently and clearly display the name of the owner. Why? In Nazi Germany, they used to mark particular shops and houses.”
On Friday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mandated that food and beverage shops along the Kanwar routes must display the name and identity of the operator/owner to respect the pilgrims’ faith. The directive also includes actions against those selling halal-certified products.
This decision by the Uttar Pradesh government to enforce ID cards for all shops along the Kanwar Yatra route has sparked a political clash between the BJP and the opposition.
