Kolhapur panchayat bars enrolment of 'new Muslim voters,' faces backlash
Kolhapur: The gram panchayat of Shingnapur village in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district passed a resolution on 5 September barring the registration of new Muslim voters in electoral rolls. The panchayat's decision, which specifically targets Muslims 'recently arrived' in the village, has sparked controversy, with local rights groups calling it unconstitutional.
The resolution demands that the names of new Muslim voters be excluded from the rolls and any names already included be removed. The panchayat clarified that the decision was made to address concerns over 'illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.'
Muslim rights bodies, including the Muslim Education Society, have condemned the move, stating it violates the Indian Constitution. They filed a complaint with the District Magistrate, demanding criminal action against those responsible and calling for the panchayat's suspension.
In response to the backlash, Sarpanch Rasika Patil issued a video statement, claiming the resolution was being misrepresented to harm communal harmony. She expressed regret for the miscommunication and apologized to the Muslim community, assuring that no such actions would be taken.
This is not the first controversy for the Shingnapur panchayat. In August 2023, it passed a resolution prohibiting the allotment of village land for religious functions, specifically targeting land assigned to the Waqf Board.
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Israeli troops kill 6, wound 35 in West Bank operation
Ramallah (West Bank), Jan 21 (AP): Israel launched a large military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday that the Palestinian Health Ministry said had killed at least six people and wounded 35.
Israel announced a “significant and broad military operation” against Palestinian Hamas group in the city. Jenin has seen repeated Israeli incursions and gunbattles with Hamas members in recent years, even before Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack ignited the war in Gaza.
The latest operation came just days into a fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza that is supposed to last for six weeks and see 33 Hamas-held hostages released in return for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
