The Ujjain Municipal Corporation, in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh, has directed all shops in its jurisdiction to display their owners’ names and mobile numbers to ensure “customer safety”, reported PTI on Sunday.

Those found violating the directive could face a penalty of Rs 2,000, while repeat offenders could be fined Rs 5,000.

This came after similar directives were issued by the authorities in parts of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The proprietors of dhabas, food stalls and hotels along the Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage route in Muzaffarnagar and Haridwar were told to display their names outside their establishments.

Ujjain Mayor Mukesh Tatwal said that the municipal corporation’s order aligns with the provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Shop Establishment Act and is being implemented to ensure customer safety.

Tatwal denied that the order was intended to target Muslim shopkeepers.

“Ujjain is a religious and holy city,” he told PTI. “People come here with religious aastha [faith]. They have the right to know about the shopkeeper whose services they are availing. If a customer is dissatisfied or cheated, knowing the shopkeeper’s details allows them to seek redress.”

Tatwal added that the Mayor-in-Council of Ujjain had approved a proposal for shopkeepers to display their names outside their establishments as far back as September 2002.

“The implementation was delayed as the nameplates were initially required to be of the same size and colour,” the mayor said. “Now, we have relaxed these terms. Displaying the names and mobile numbers of shopkeepers will suffice.”

Ujjain is home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple, which attracts thousands of Hindu pilgrims in the month of Saavan, which begins on Monday.

The directives in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have invited criticism from various quarters, including the BJP’s allies in the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre.

The Rashtriya Lok Dal, which is an ally of the Hindutva party, said on Friday that such decisions should be taken after consulting all stakeholders. The party said it would raise its concerns with the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government.

“Our country has people from different communities and harmony must be maintained,” the party’s National Secretary Anupam Mishra told The Indian Express.

On Friday, two other National Democratic Alliance partners – the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) – also called for the directives to be reviewed.

The authorities have, however, defended the directives, saying they are meant to ensure that devotees do not face any issues during the Kanwar Yatra.

Abhishek Singh, Muzaffarnagar’s senior superintendent of police, said on Wednesday that the decision was taken to “avoid confusion” among devotees who would be travelling on the Kanwar Yatra route.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also backed the directive, asking why any shopkeeper would want to hide their identity.

“The decision aims to create transparency and is not targeting any particular community or individual,” Dhami said. “If someone is working legitimately, why would they use a fake name?”

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