Gujarat’s Disturbed Areas Act pushes Muslims into ghettos, reveals News Laundry report
Vadodara: A ground report published by News Laundry, authored by journalist Basant Kumar, has brought to light the grave challenges faced by Muslims in Gujarat in acquiring property due to the controversial Disturbed Areas Act. The report highlights how this law, coupled with active local opposition, has led to the effective ghettoisation of Muslim communities across several cities in the state.
The story focuses on a specific case from Vadodara, where a Muslim resident named Onali has been engaged in a prolonged legal battle to gain possession of land he purchased in 2016 in the Champaner Darwaza area of Fatehpura. Despite acquiring the land legally, Onali was denied permission by the Deputy Collector’s office to transfer ownership under the provisions of the Disturbed Areas Act. The rejection came after the Assistant Police Commissioner recommended against granting the transfer.
Facing bureaucratic dead ends, Onali finally moved the Gujarat High Court, which ruled in his favour in 2019. However, as of June 2025, he has still not been able to take possession of the property. The delay, he alleges, is due to strong local Hindu opposition, including from BJP leaders and former corporators, who fear that an increase in the Muslim population in the area would eventually drive Hindus away.
Adding to the obstruction, two witnesses to the land sale, a Muslim shopkeeper named Farhan and another man, Keshav Rana, later claimed in court that they were misled into signing the documents. The High Court reprimanded both witnesses and fined them Rs 25,000 each, holding them accountable for attempting to sabotage the legal process under pressure from local Hindu groups.
According to the News Laundry report, such incidents are not isolated. Dozens of similar cases are currently pending in courts across Gujarat. The report critically examines the history, intent, and misuse of the Disturbed Areas Act, pointing out how the legislation has been used by successive BJP governments to restrict property transactions and movement of Muslim citizens, often citing communal balance as justification.
The law, originally introduced to prevent forced migration and illegal sale of properties during communal disturbances, has allegedly evolved into a tool of discrimination. The result, says the report, is the increasing ghettoisation of Muslim populations in Gujarat, further alienating them from urban integration and equal opportunities.
This report is based on a ground investigation published by News Laundry on July 3, 2025. Full credit to journalist Basant Kumar for the original reporting.
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UP Cong chief Ajay Rai hospitalised after fainting, stable
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was hospitalised here after he fell unconscious due to low sodium levels, party leaders said on Saturday.
They said he was admitted to Medanta Hospital on Friday evening and is stable.
"Ajay Rai was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Lucknow at around 6 pm on Friday after he fell unconscious as his sodium levels had dropped. He fell unconscious at his residence in Lucknow. For the entire day, he was engaged in party programmes and had also gone to the airport," Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi told PTI.
Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told PTI, "Now, he (Ajay Rai) is stable and I am also reaching Lucknow."
Medanta Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor told PTI that Rai collapsed at his home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to the hospital's emergency ward.
Medical examinations revealed that Rai was suffering from a sodium deficiency and elevated blood pressure. Doctors administered immediate treatment and he is doing significantly better now, Kapoor said.
A team of doctors is monitoring his health. Rai is conversing with others and his condition is stable, he added.
In a post on X late Friday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Rai a speedy recovery.
Rai hails from Varanasi and had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Modi from the parliamentary constituency. The Congress appointed him as the Uttar Pradesh unit chief in 2023.
