A fresh controversy has gripped Maharashtra’s political circles after Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, decrying the ‘unlawful’ posting of Manoj Jadhav as Executive Officer in the Maharashtra State Haj Committee. The letter, circulated on X, demands urgent rectification to prevent erosion of minority rights.
The Haj Committee, a vital institution for Muslim pilgrims, functions via a dedicated legal structure prioritizing Islamic jurisprudence, rituals, and Haj-specific logistics. Azmi’s grievance centers on Jadhav’s non-Muslim status, which he labels a direct assault on the act’s provisions mandating Muslim-led administration by elected insiders versed in religious nuances.
Such an appointment, he asserted, flouts constitutional safeguards including equality before law, prohibition of religious discrimination, liberty of faith practice, and religious societies’ management rights. It represents not mere oversight but a profound betrayal of legislative purpose.
Azmi invoked landmark court decisions reinforcing non-interference in minority affairs, urging Fadnavis to annul the order and appoint a compliant Muslim representative forthwith.
Background context reveals the committee’s role in streamlining Haj journeys, a cornerstone of Muslim community life. This challenge arrives as Maharashtra balances diverse interests post-elections, amplifying its significance.
Azmi concluded optimistically, banking on Fadnavis’s proven leadership to deliver fairness rooted in legality and constitutional ethos. Observers see this as a litmus test for the administration’s approach to sensitive religious bodies, with implications rippling to national minority policy debates.