Mahua Moitra Criticizes UP Police Directive To Shopkeepers, Compares It To 'Star of David' For Muslims (Image: x.com/chemingineer)
TMC MP Mahua Moitra has criticized the Uttar Pradesh police in the harshest terms over their directive to shopkeepers and restaurateurs to write the proprietor’s name on shops so that the Kanwariyas traveling on pilgrimage can buy items or eat without confusion. The politician compared this directive to the Nazi persecution of Jews, where they were forced to wear yellow badges featuring the Star of David for identification.
“What next? Muslims to wear an equivalent of the Star of David on their sleeves to mark themselves? The next time Kanwars or their families need a doctor or blood, will they have to find another Kanwar to treat them?” the Krishnanagar MP said, calling the police action blatantly illegal and unconstitutional.
What next? Muslims to wear equivalent of Star of David on their sleeve to mark themselves? The next time kanwars or their families need a doctor or blood find another kanwar to treat them. @Uppolice @CMOfficeUP this is blatantly illegal & anti-constitutional. https://t.co/iDsD9TsjP5
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 17, 2024
In a widely circulated video, a police officer can be seen stating, “Orders have been given to write the names of the proprietor or people who work there on eateries, shops, and carts selling any food items so that Kanvars are not confused.”
The Kanvar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of Shiva devotees, known as Kanvarias, to places like Haridwar, Gaumukh, Gangotri, and Ajgaibinath. Millions fetch holy Ganges water and carry it miles to offer at local Śiva shrines and temples. This year’s Yatra will kick off on July 22.
The Star of David, also known as the Shield of David or Magen David, is a symbol associated with Judaism and Jewish identity. A hexagram formed by two interlocking triangles, it has been used decoratively in Jewish communities and became a symbol of Jewish identity and heritage. During World War II, it was used by the Nazis as a means of identification and persecution of Jews, marking it with a deep association to the Holocaust.
