New Delhi, July 19 (IANS): Amid the political sparring over the intent and motive behind the ‘display your owner’s name’ order for eateries and dhabas along the Kanwar Yatra route in Uttar Pradesh, the 2006 rules for food outlets have emerged as the latest flashpoint between the BJP and the Congress.

The BJP on Friday claimed that the Opposition is targeting the majority community over a 'non-issue' and stoking an unnecessary controversy for political gains. Moreover, the nameplate order which it is objecting to is nothing but a ‘continuation’ of the Food and Safety Standards rule drafted by the UPA government in 2006, it said.

A photo of the Food Safety and Standards 2006 rules, categorising food businesses under various sections, has also surfaced on social media. The rules made it mandatory for dhaba owners to display their licences and other details.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, however, dismissed the BJP’s claims and accused it of ‘wrongly and mischievously’ using the 2006 rules to justify its 'bigotry' against a particular community.

In a video message, the Congress leader said that the UPA government had proposed these rules for upholding the standards of food quality and safety, but what the BJP is doing in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand is driven purely by malice and ill-intent.

“Behind the name display order, there is a clear agenda of bigotry, spreading hatred and driving a wedge between the communities,” Pawan Khera said.

He also asked the BJP not to hide behind UPA-era rules and admit that this was a mischievous move to divide communities.

Earlier in the day, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra termed the Kanwar Yatra route order as discriminatory, divisive, and unconstitutional.

The furore broke out after Muzaffarnagar police ordered all dhaba and food shop owners along the 240 km Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of the owners and staff to avoid ‘confusion’ for the Yatris.

The opposition smelled a rat and accused the administration of pushing ‘state-sponsored bigotry’ and making a brazen attempt to alienate a certain community.

On Friday, the Yogi Adityanath government announced to extend the ‘name display order’ on the entire route of the Kanwar Yatra in Uttar Pradesh.