Kanwar Yatra: 'Sanatani' stickers, QR codes spark row

Critics say QR codes, combined with 'Sanatani' campaign, open door to informal religious vetting

- BISWAJEET BANERJEE

MEERUT: Efforts to guide Kanwar Yatra pilgrims toward vegetarian food have triggered controversy along the 540-kilometer pilgrimage route stretching from Delhi through Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand. A combination of "Sanatani Vyaparik Sansthan" stickers distributed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and a state-mandated QR code system for eateries has raised fears of religious profiling and economic exclusion, particularly among Muslim traders.

The saffron-colored Sanatani stickers, which bear the message "Garv se kaho, hum Hindu hain" (Say with pride, we are Hindus), are being affixed to food outlets that agree to serve only vegetarian food and abstain from meat and alcohol during the yatra. The VHP says the stickers are meant to help Kanwariyas maintain spiritual discipline during their pilgrimage.

"This is not a campaign against any religion," said Shachindra Sharma, a senior VHP functionary in Ghaziabad. "Kanwariyas follow strict vows, and the stickers simply guide them to shops that respect those vows."