Maharashtra: The unholy case of Muslim employees being sacked en masse

The BJP-led government in Maharashtra has seen a new spike in Hindutva hatred, recently visible at two religious sites in the state’s Ahilyanagar (formerly known as Ahmednagar) district. In the second week of June, succumbing to pressure from right-wing Hindu organisations, 114 Muslim employees—who had been working at the Shani Shingnapur temple for years—were sacked.

Meanwhile, in Guha village, Hindu groups claimed that the dargah of Hazrat Ramzan Shah Baba is actually a temple of Kanifnath. A Nath sect follower named Kanobha who converted under Sufi influence, both Hindus and Muslims have historically revered Hazrat Baba.

Now, an idol of Kanif Baba has been installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ramzan Shah Baba Dargah, and worship rituals have commenced. Two small dargahs have also been converted into temples. In this Hindu-majority village, anyone supporting Muslims is fined Rs. 2,000.

In an effort to bridge the divide, Tushar Gandhi has attempted to reason with the locals. The Mahayuti government led by Devendra Fadnavis has so far not intervened in either matter; while state cabinet minister Nitesh Rane would be the first to lead the charge in making inflammatory statements against Muslims.

The BJP’s ‘Spiritual Coordination Front’ chief, Acharya Tushar Bhosale, threatened the Shani Shingnapur temple trust with an agitation on Saturday, 14 June, if Muslim employees were not fired. On Friday the 13th the trust dismissed all 114 of them.

Bhosale alleged that the Muslim workers had hurt Hindu sentiments by installing grills and cleaning Lord Shani’s platform. Outraged Hindutva-vadis said Muslims had no place in a Hindu shrine. A local Hindu leader, Rishikesh—who blamed a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader associated with the temple of hiring Muslim employees—was the first to purify the entire platform with Gangajal.

While SP MLA Rais Shaikh objected to the dismissals and accused the BJP of discrimination against Muslims, the temple trust distanced itself from the controversy. The temple’s CEO, Gorakhnath Darandale, claimed that no religious discrimination was practiced, and that people from all faiths visited the shrine. According to him, it was disciplinary action—some employees had taken leave without notice, others were not performing their duties.

One of the dismissed employees, Abdul Rashid, said he had worked there for nearly 15 years and was abruptly fired without any warning or inquiry.

A ‘casual’ meeting that may change political equations?

A hush-hush meeting between Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray at the Taj Lands End Hotel in Bandra has stirred political circles. Speculations are rife that this meeting might diminish hopes for a political reunion between Raj and his cousin Uddhav Thackeray. The BJP, sensing weakness ahead of the upcoming BMC elections, appears to be considering a repeat of its Lok Sabha strategy.

Devendra Fadnavis and Raj Thackeray

Raj has remained tight-lipped about the meeting, but there is jubilation within the BJP camp, with some saying, “Anything is possible in politics.”

In an earlier interview with Mahesh Manjrekar, Raj hinted that he might reconcile with Uddhav Thackeray for the sake of Maharashtra and Marathi identity. Ironically, it was because of Uddhav that Raj had left the original Shiv Sena, despite Bal Thackeray urging him not to. Though Raj formed his own party and won seats in the past, his political base has since eroded, and he currently holds no elected positions.

Even so, the BJP believes Raj’s ‘Thackeray brand’ can help garner Marathi votes in Mumbai. Post the split in the Shiv Sena, Uddhav still remains a formidable challenge for the BJP. An internal BMC election survey has shown the BJP’s position to be weak. The buzz around a possible reunion between the Thackeray cousins have energised Shiv Sainiks, posing another threat to the BJP.

Political analysts believe that Fadnavis’s meeting with Raj was a strategic one, not a casual encounter. Before the Lok Sabha polls, a similar secret meeting occurred at the same hotel, after which Raj told his workers to vote in support of PM Modi. Does the BJP hope that Raj will make another such announcement at a crucial moment?

While this meeting may have dimmed morale in the Uddhav camp, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said some degree of clarity before the BMC polls would help prevent confusion among party workers. For both Uddhav and Fadnavis, this BMC election is a prestige battle. For 25 years, a unified Shiv Sena held sway over the BMC. Post-split, this is the BJP’s first real chance to snatch control—but it won’t be easy. That’s why the BJP is leaning on Raj.

The saffron party realised the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s strength during the Assembly polls. Despite supporting Raj in the Mahim constituency and campaigning for his son, Amit Thackeray, the BJP couldn’t secure a win. Amit’s defeat exposed Raj’s diminished influence.

While the BJP engineered the split in in Shiv Sena, Uddhav still commands the original legacy of Bal Thackeray, which remains unshaken. Speculation is now rife that the BJP might even encourage Raj to align with Uddhav—only to later undermine him from within during the BMC elections.

The disturbing facts about mass hysterectomies in Beed district

Maharashtra’s Beed district is infamous for its grim social realities. Readers may recall the brutal murder of Masajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh that led to the arrest of Valmik Karad, a close aide of Dhananjay Munde—cabinet minister from the Ajit Pawar faction. The scandal forced Munde to resign.

Now, Beed is back in the headlines for another disturbing reason: mass hysterectomies among female sugarcane labourers.

Dr. Sachin Shekade, maternal and child health officer of Beed district, revealed that many women had their uteruses removed so they wouldn’t be denied work during the sugarcane harvesting season. Prior to the harvest, the health department conducts medical checkups, during which 843 women reported having undergone hysterectomies. Most of them were between 30–35 years old. In addition, 1,523 women had worked while pregnant.

This is not a new phenomenon. It’s been going on for years. Of the 1.75 lakh sugarcane workers in Beed, around 78,000 are women. Those menstruating are often deemed unfit for the rigorous labour, which leads women—driven by poverty—to opt for hysterectomies. Post-surgery, many suffer severe health complications.

Removing a uterus solely to get work constitutes a criminal offense. But many sugarcane fields are owned by politically connected individuals, which prevents strict government action. In 2019, a seven-member committee led by Legislative Council vice-chairperson Neelam Gorhe submitted a 140-page report to the government. It revealed that over the last decade, 13,000 women had undergone hysterectomies.

These women are promised wages of Rs. 1–1.5 lakh per year and are made to work 12-hour shifts. The surgery costs them Rs. 25,000–30,000. Despite the report, the government has failed to implement any policy that would allow women to work without undergoing such procedures.