Ahilyanagar: Muslim Traders’ Ban at Kanifnath Yatra Invalid – BDO

Ahilyanagar, 1st March 2025: The Pathardi Block Development Officer (BDO) has declared the Madhi Gram Sabha’s resolution banning Muslim traders from setting up stalls at the Kanifnath Yatra as invalid, citing procedural irregularities. The annual yatra, which has a history spanning over 700 years, began on Friday evening with the traditional lighting of Holi, celebrated two weeks before the festival.

The resolution, passed on February 22, was led by sarpanch Sanjay Markad, barring Muslim vendors from participating in the event. However, following concerns over its legality, Ahilyanagar Zilla Parishad CEO Ashish Yerekar ordered an inquiry into the matter.

BDO Shivaji Kamble, who conducted the review, explained that the resolution failed to meet the required quorum for approval.

“For any resolution to be legally valid, there must be a quorum of either 15% of the village population or at least 100 members of the gram panchayat, whichever is lower. While 116 signatures were recorded, only 98 were valid, in a village of over 4,000 residents. This does not fulfill the legal criteria, making the resolution invalid,” Kamble stated.

Additionally, he pointed out that the proposal was not presented through the proper process.

“A gram sabha can discuss spontaneous subjects, but these must first be brought before the gram panchayat, which should convene a day in advance. The decision to exclude Muslim traders was placed directly before the gram sabha without this process, further invalidating the resolution,” he added.

Earlier on Friday, a delegation from the Muslim community met with Deputy Collector Shahuraj More at the Ahilyanagar district collectorate, seeking assurance of their safety amid rising tensions.

One of the representatives, Shabbir Shaikh, expressed concern about the upcoming political rally on Saturday, which has heightened anxieties among the Muslim residents.

“Our community makes up 15% of the village and we are feeling unsafe, especially with a large political gathering scheduled for Saturday. We have urged the district administration to ensure protection for all,” Shaikh stated.

The district administration is now closely monitoring the situation to prevent any disruption to the Kanifnath Yatra, a significant cultural event in the region.