Who is Yashveer Maharaj, whose threat led UP govt to pass order to out nameplates outside shops?

The Supreme Court imposed a stay on the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive for shop nameplates, ruling that shopkeepers only need to indicate if they serve vegetarian or non-vegetarian food. The court also issued notices to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, seeking their responses.

The Uttar Pradesh government had mandated that shops along the Kanwar Yatra route display the shopkeeper's name clearly. Reports indicated that the administration was enforcing this rule forcefully, causing political controversy. Some accused the government of religious discrimination. This order was heavily influenced by Swami Yashveer Maharaj, who runs an ashram in Muzaffarnagar and threatened to enforce the nameplate requirement himself if the government did not act.

Swami Yashveer Maharaj operates the "Yoga Sadhna Yashveer Ashram" in Baghera village, about 15 kilometers from Muzaffarnagar. The ashram, known for its strict entry policies, also houses his disciple, Brahmachari Swami Mrigendra Swami. Swami Yashveer, born into a Jat family, provides little information about his past, claiming he left home in childhood and has had no contact with his family since.

Before establishing his ashram, Swami Yashveer learned yoga in Haryana and settled in Baghera village about two decades ago. He now teaches yoga and organizes a large annual yajna. Known for his saffron robes and forehead mark, Swami Yashveer has been involved in controversies, including a 2015 incident where he made a controversial comment about Prophet Muhammad. This led to charges of inciting religious sentiments and a seven-month jail term under the National Security Act. He was released in August 2016 when the NSA was lifted.