A controversy has erupted in Madhi village of Ahilyanagar’s Pathardi taluka after signatures collected during a special Gram Sabha meeting were allegedly misused to pass a resolution calling for the boycott of Muslim traders, which is illegal according to the Indian Constitution.
The meeting, held on February 22, was originally convened to discuss the list of eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, but a resolution boycotting Muslim traders from the annual Madhi fair at the Kanifnath shrine was reportedly passed without proper disclosure, The Wire reported.
The meeting, scheduled on a Saturday when most villagers were at work, concluded with only a few attendees present, and those who signed the day’s agenda later found their signatures allegedly used for an unrelated resolution.
The village sarpanch, Sanjay Markad, who is known for his association with the RSS, justified the resolution by claiming that previous fairs had witnessed theft, gambling, and other criminal activities by Muslim traders, though he failed to provide evidence to substantiate these allegations.
Markad also objected to the sale of kumkum by Muslim traders, arguing that Hindu women should not use products sold by them, and he further escalated his rhetoric by stating that the move was meant to protect Hindu women, even if it violated constitutional and legal provisions. While some villagers supported the resolution, several others whose signatures appeared on the document have accused Markad of misusing their names without consent.
The district administration, responding to the uproar, directed Shivaji Kamble, the block development officer (BDO) of the village panchayat, to investigate the matter, and his preliminary findings confirmed that the meeting was originally meant for discussions on the housing scheme and that the agenda did not include any mention of a community boycott.
Kamble asserted that Gram Sabha agendas are explicitly set and notified in advance, which was not done in this case, making the resolution not only unconstitutional but also legally untenable. Despite this, no legal action has been taken against Markad or others involved, and district collector Siddharam Salimath has not yet responded to queries regarding the issue.
Madhi, a village with a mixed population of nearly 3,000 households, including around 400 Muslim families alongside Marathas, Telis, Malis, Dhangars, and Buddhists, has long been known for communal harmony, and many residents believe the resolution was an attempt to create division.
Firoz Shaikh, a local automobile shop owner, claimed that the signatures were collected after most Muslims had left the meeting, making it clear that those behind the resolution intended to prevent objections from the community. Jan Mohammed Patel, a trader opposing the boycott, argued that such moves were designed to disrupt peaceful coexistence rather than address genuine concerns.
The 700-year-old Kanifnath shrine, an important pilgrimage site for nomadic communities, has historically been revered by both Hindus and Muslims, though its identity has increasingly been claimed as exclusively Hindu due to the growing influence of radical Hindutva groups.