Maha Min Nitish Rane backs village resolution banning Muslim traders, questions BDO’s decision
Pune: Maharashtra BJP minister Nitish Rane has questioned the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Ahilyanagar for staying a resolution passed by the Madhi village gram panchayat, which sought to ban Muslim traders from setting up stalls during the annual Madhi Chi Yatra.
Rane, known for his anti-Muslim statements, asserted that Maharashtra is ruled by a "Hindutva sarkar" and urged villagers to pass the resolution again with unanimous support. “If all villagers sign the resolution, how will the BDO reject it?” he said, as quoted by The Indian Express.
The resolution, passed on 22 February by the gram panchayat of Madhi village in Pathardi taluka, aimed to prohibit Muslim traders from participating in the festival, which began on 28 February. Rane hailed the move as “historic” and claimed that it would set a precedent across Maharashtra.
Backing the resolution, Maharashtra’s District Guardian Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil asserted that the gram sabha was within its constitutional rights to impose the ban, citing an alleged Supreme Court precedent.
However, following an inquiry ordered by Ahilyanagar Zilla Parishad CEO Ashish Yerekar, BDO Shivaji Kamble ruled the resolution unconstitutional. His investigation found that the gram sabha lacked the required quorum and that 16 of the 116 signatures on the resolution could not be verified. Other procedural deficiencies were also noted, leading to the decision to stay the resolution.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
