The Himachal Pradesh government has clarified its position regarding a statement made by Public Works Department and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh, which suggested that all eateries and food stalls in the state must display the owner’s ID card. This announcement caught many off guard, especially since it appeared to mimic a recent directive from the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Himachal government stated that a committee had been established to formulate a policy for street vendors, and no decisions had yet been made regarding the mandatory display of nameplates or other forms of identification at vendor stalls. “The state government has not decided on requiring name displays,” the spokesperson said.

Sources indicate that this clarification followed a message from the Congress central leadership expressing dissatisfaction with the statement. AICC in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, Rajeev Shukla, reportedly communicated the leadership’s concerns to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Vikramaditya, urging them to avoid such “divisive” actions.

The Congress minority wing chief and Rajya Sabha MP, Imran Pratapgarhi, also brought the issue to Rahul Gandhi’s attention during a meeting.

Previously, the Congress had criticized the Uttar Pradesh government for similar requirements aimed at eateries during the Kanwar Yatra. Following Vikramaditya’s remarks, many Congress leaders expressed surprise, prompting Shukla to clarify that the Himachal government had no intention of following Uttar Pradesh’s example. “I have spoken to both the Chief Minister and Vikramaditya Singh. The committee’s role is to draft a policy to regulate street vendors, not to enforce name displays,” Shukla asserted.

He emphasized that there is no resemblance to the “Yogi model,” which he characterized as politicized and communalized, stating, “No direction regarding name displays has come from the government or the Chief Minister.”

Although Shukla claimed that Sukhu and Vikramaditya were not formally reprimanded, sources suggested that the leadership conveyed strong discontent. “It reflects weak leadership from Sukhu,” a senior party member commented.

Despite the backlash, Vikramaditya maintained his stance, stating that his comments about the display of IDs were based on guidelines from the Supreme Court and various high courts. He acknowledged that the committee had not yet issued a report but insisted he spoke as Urban Development Minister, not as a member of that panel.

CWC member and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor expressed concerns about any initiative that could lead to customer discrimination based on a vendor’s identity rather than product quality. He suggested that while displaying a vending license is reasonable, requiring personal information is unnecessary and may violate privacy rights established by the courts.

Former Chhattisgarh Deputy CM T S Singh Deo also criticized the proposed move, stating that existing laws already regulate businesses and that personal identification is redundant. He labeled the proposal as potentially communal and shortsighted.

Congress Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram supported the view that while it is fair for customers to know if they are buying from licensed vendors, personal information is not necessary and can be verified by authorities.

In his initial statement, Vikramaditya had framed the identity card requirement as a state-centric initiative aimed at ensuring public safety following recent tensions linked to “outsiders.” He claimed that identity card displays would be mandatory for all vendors, regardless of community.

Senior BJP leader and former CM Jai Ram Thakur criticized the situation, arguing that the government distancing itself from a cabinet minister’s statement indicates deeper issues within the administration. He highlighted similar inconsistencies within the Congress government, suggesting that all is not well in the state’s leadership.