A construction contractor from Pune district in Maharashtra, India, is facing obstacles in obtaining registration for a structure he built for his new house due to objections from the gram panchayat based on his religion.
Kasim Mulla, a 73-year-old resident of Ambegaon in Katraj, had purchased a 4,000-square-foot plot in Kambre Nama village of Mawal Taluka, located 50 km away, ten years ago. In April, he constructed a 10 by 10 feet structure and applied for its registration in June.
“We submitted the documents to the gram sewak. He informed us that a panchayat meeting would take place on June 30 and the registration would be processed,” said Javed, Kasim’s 31-year-old son.
However, the application for registration was dismissed. The registration is not only required for tax purposes but also to access basic amenities such as power and water. On the front page of the application, Kambre Nama sarpanch Vaishali Gaikwad and deputy sarpanch Somnath Gaikwad wrote, “Registration cannot be done because the concerned person is from the religion of Islam.”
When asked about the decision, Somnath Gaikwad told Newslaundry that the village does not want any Muslim residents. He said, “We have never had any Muslim in our village, nor do we want one. We did not approve the registration because we want to avoid any disputes. This is a collective decision of the village, and we have passed a resolution stating that we do not want any Muslim residents in our village. We will not provide them with panchayat services. Villagers approached me regarding this matter.”
“I will inform them that if they sell the plot and move elsewhere, the gram panchayat will respect their decision. However, if they choose not to listen, they will be responsible for any future disputes with the villagers.”
Javed Mulla expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, “It is not right to discriminate based on religion. We constructed a small structure for residential purposes, and we also had plans to open a small shop for business in the future. We are citizens of this country, and the Constitution grants us the right to live anywhere.”
Regarding the incident, Pune Rural SP Ankit Goyal stated that the police are not aware of the situation and can only take action if a complaint is filed. He added, “If such a matter has occurred, we will write to the gram panchayat about it. This issue falls under the purview of the zilla parishad, and they are the appropriate authority to investigate. Our role is limited to addressing complaints.”
