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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Kangana Ranaut deletes post about Trump, regrets sharing 'very personal opinion'
New Delhi, May 15 (PTI): Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Thursday said she has deleted her post about US President Donald Trump and regrets sharing her "very personal opinion" on social media.
Ranaut said she deleted the post after she received a call from BJP national president JP Nadda.
"Respected national president Shri @JPNadda ji called and asked me to delete the tweet I had posted regarding Trump asking Apple CEO Tim Cook not to manufacture in India.
"I regret posting that very personal opinion of mine, as per instructions I immediately deleted it from Instagram as well," Ranaut, who is BJP's from Mandi, wrote on X.
Trump, who is in Qatar as part of his four-day visit to the Gulf region, on Thursday said he had told Apple CEO Tim Cook that he does not want him to build iPhones in India.
Respected national president Shri @JPNadda ji called and asked me to delete the tweet I had posted regarding Trump asking Apple CEO Tim Cook not to manufacture in India.
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) May 15, 2025
I regret posting that very personal opinion of mine, as per instructions I immediately deleted it from…
