Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra announced that all meat shops in Delhi will be closed during the Kanwar Yatra, scheduled to take place from July 11 to 23 this year. He did not mention if this ban is only for shops on the Kanwar Yatra route or for the entire city. Mishra said that this decision was taken to respect the religious sentiments of devotees. He also said that most of these meat shops are illegal and should not be operating as per the law. He added that strict action will be taken against shops that violate the order.

Earlier, Delhi BJP MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asking him to temporarily close all liquor and meat shops along the routes of the Kanwar Yatra in the national capital. The Yatra is set to begin later this month.

In his letter, Marwah said that shutting down these shops during the Yatra would help maintain its purity and respect the religious sentiments of the devotees. He also mentioned that this step would help avoid any unwanted incidents or conflicts that might happen if such shops remain open during the Yatra. Marwah clearly stated, “We appeal that all meat and liquor shops on the designated routes of the Kanwar Yatra be temporarily shut down so that the sanctity of the Yatra is maintained and there are no untoward incidents.”

About Kanwar Yatra

The Kanwar Yatra is a yearly pilgrimage taken by Lord Shiva’s devotees, who are called Kanwariyas or "Bhole." During this Yatra, millions of devotees travel to holy places like Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, and to Ajgaibinath Temple in Sultanganj, Bihar, to collect holy water from the Ganga River.

They then carry this sacred water on their shoulders, walking hundreds of kilometres to take it back to their local Shiva temples. Some famous temples where they offer this water are the Pura Mahadeva temple in Baghpat, Augharnath temple in Meerut, Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, and Baidyanath temple in Deoghar.

In 2025, the Kanwar Yatra will take place from 11 July (the start of the Hindu month of Sawan) to 23 July (Shivratri). The word "Kanwar" refers to the special bamboo or wooden pole that devotees use to carry water. The water is usually from the Ganga, but sometimes it can be from local rivers as well. This water is offered to Lord Shiva, who is lovingly called Bhole Baba, meaning the innocent or simple-hearted God.