Madhi village controversy: ‘Vendors who do not adhere to ‘Hindu rituals’ barred’
The gram panchayat of Madhi village in Pathardi tehsil of Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) district has once again found itself in a controversy after revising its resolution on Muslim vendors from participating in the annual Kanifnath Maharaj Yatra.
The yatra begins on Holi and concludes on Gudi Padwa, which falls on March 30 this year.
While the district administration and the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court stayed the resolution taken on February 22 barring Muslim traders from setting up stalls at the fair citing some members of the community do not follow local traditions, the gram panchayat on Wednesday, March 12, passed another that indirectly enforces the same restrictions.
The revised version was passed a day before the month-long yatra began, its members told HT on Saturday.
This time, it avoided explicitly mentioning Muslim traders but instead barred vendors who do not adhere to “Hindu rituals and traditions”.
Speaking over phone on Saturday, village sarpanch Sanjay Markad, who also heads the Kanifnath Maharaj Devasthan Committee, defended the new resolution.
“We have decided that only those who respect our religious customs will be allowed to set up stalls. The Kanifnath Maharaj Temple is a Hindu religious site, and those engaging in anti-religious activities cannot participate,” he said.
The resolution was reportedly passed with 327 votes in favour and 127 against.
Anjum Inamdar, president, Mulnivasi Muslim Manch, said, “We have already approached authorities requesting them to intervene in the matter. But if the gram panchayat is doing the same thing by just changing the words in the resolution, then the district administration should take the matter seriously.”
Lack of Muslim participation
According to the panchayat, they received over 450 applications for stalls at the fair, and none from Muslim traders.
“With no application received from Muslim vendors, there was no question of rejecting any,” Markad claimed.
The village fair has historically attracted traders from different communities. However, this year, Muslim vendors have reportedly refrained from participating, fearing exclusion and backlash.
Shivaji Kamble, block development officer (BDO), confirmed that he was aware of the new resolution but is yet to get the official copy. “Once we receive it, we will decide the next course of action. We are also planning to visit the village to assess the situation,” he said.
The illegal decision
The BDO, after an inquiry, had invalidated the February 22 resolution citing procedural lapses, including the alleged involvement of outsiders in the decision-making process. The office found that the decision did not meet legal requirements. A quorum of at least 100 villagers or 15% of the population—whichever is lower—is required. However, of the 116 people present, only 98 were verified as residents, while the rest were allegedly brought in from neighbouring villages.
On March 11, a division bench of Justices Mangesh Patil and YG Khobragade had stayed the operation of the resolution passed by the gram panchayat.
Over 34 human rights organisations approached the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court on March 13 seeking an urgent intervention in the matter. They have termed the Madhi village gram panchayat’s attempt as “illegal”, “arbitrary” and “discriminatory”.
Madhi village, located about 175 km from Pune, has a population of around 5,000, including approximately 650 Muslims.
While supporters of the resolution argue that it is meant to preserve religious traditions, critics have condemned it as unconstitutional and discriminatory. Legal experts warn that such exclusionary measures violate fundamental rights and could set a dangerous precedent, further straining communal harmony in the region.
