Mahar Watan Parishad Demands CBI Probe into Land Grabbing by Mahar Landlords in Pune
Pune, 8th November 2025: The Mahar Watan Parishad has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into alleged cases of land grabbing involving Mahar landlords in Pune district, citing decades of injustice and illegal transactions. The demand follows revelations in the Mundhwa land deal, which the council claims has once again exposed the ongoing exploitation of traditional landholders.
Addressing a press conference in Pune on Friday, Parishad President Milind Gaikwad, Secretary Chandrashekhar Javale, and members Pandurang Shelar and Atul Kharat said that the issue of Mahar Watan lands is deeply rooted in history and must be addressed through strong legal and administrative action.
Gaikwad said that Mahar Watan lands were granted as part of the historical obligation created by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during the foundation of Swarajya. “For nearly five decades, both the ruling class and the capitalist lobby have been attempting to usurp these ancestral lands. The recent Mundhwa-Koregaon Park case involving Survey No. 88 has once again highlighted how Mahar landlords are being systematically deprived of their rights,” he said.
The Parishad demanded that the government immediately convert all Mahar ancestral lands from Class II to Class I, thereby restoring full ownership rights to the original landholders. They also sought the abolition of the 50 percent Nazrana condition imposed on such lands, terming it discriminatory and outdated.
Gaikwad said the Parishad would soon submit a memorandum to the state government demanding:
- A CBI investigation into all cases of Mahar Watan land grabbing in Pune district and across Maharashtra.
- Strict action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against individuals and institutions found guilty of exploiting or illegally acquiring Mahar lands.
- Immediate justice for the Gaikwad family from Mundhwa, whose ancestral property was allegedly transferred through unlawful means.
The council warned that if these demands were not fulfilled promptly, they would launch a statewide agitation to highlight the plight of Mahar landlords and the continued neglect of their legal rights.
