In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, Several Gram Panchayats in Mulshi tehsil of Pune district of Maharashtra have passed resolutions barring Muslims from outside their villages from offering prayers in local mosques, especially during Friday.
Banners and public notices have been put up in villages, including Pirangut, Ghotawade, Wadki, and Lavale, stating that only local residents will be permitted to attend. Though the incident occurred more than 2,000 kilometres away, its ripple reached the dusty lanes of Mulshi’s villages.
On 1 May 2025, the Pirangut Gram Panchayat passed a formal resolution enforcing this restriction at the Pirangut Juma Masjid, the largest mosque in the taluka. In response, mosque officials have been compelled to comply.
“We are terrified,” said Shaistakhan Inamdar, a resident of Lavale. “Even before this, we had already stopped praying at the mosque because it’s right next to a temple, and tensions had been rising. Now, after this, we’re praying in a small shed outside the village. The fear is real.”
While police confirm the existence of such resolutions, they say no formal complaints have been filed and that the measures have not yet breached any legal boundaries. A senior official at the Pirangut police station acknowledged that concerns about “outsiders” during Friday prayers were cited by villagers, prompting the panchayats to act.
Members of the local Muslim community, however, say the issue goes deeper.
“This is not just about prayer restrictions. It’s about targeting our right to exist and worship freely,” said Fayaz Shaikh, Pune district president of the AIMIM. “These panchayat resolutions are unconstitutional and part of a larger pattern of alienation and provocation.”
“This is not just a restriction on prayer,” said Fayaz Shaikh, AIMIM’s Pune District President, told Maktoob. “This is part of a growing pattern. In village after village, extremist groups are trying to provoke tensions and isolate Muslims from public life, spiritually, socially, and economically. They aim to alienate us and target our spaces, our presence. We have already raised our concerns with the police, who assured us that law and order will be upheld. But let me be clear: these Gram Sabha resolutions are unconstitutional, and we strongly condemn them.”
He further added that the current government’s failure to protect constitutional rights and communal harmony is a matter of national shame.
“Even the Supreme Court has called out the Maharashtra government’s incompetence in handling such provocations. It’s deeply shameful. Maharashtra, despite being the highest tax-contributing state, is witnessing eight farmer suicides a day. This government has failed its people across the board.”
Shaikh’s statement reflects a broader unease spreading across the district.
At the heart of the issue is the Pirangut mosque, built over two decades ago, which typically draws hundreds of Muslims from neighbouring villages and industrial areas for Friday prayers. Labourers, drivers, and daily-wage workers, many of whom migrated here for work, form a significant portion of the worshippers.
“Our mosque is older than many of the buildings in this village,” said a local trustee. “We’ve always welcomed everyone. There were never any issues. Even during Ganpati or other Hindu festivals, we participated with full respect. Now suddenly, after one national-level incident, we’re being treated like outsiders in our village.”
Several residents say this is the first time they’ve witnessed such explicit exclusion along communal lines in this region.
In Pirangut and surrounding villages, there has long been a syncretic tradition, with Muslim and Hindu residents often joining hands during local processions, celebrations, and elections. The decision to restrict outsiders from offering namaz has left many feeling betrayed.
Similar resolutions, locals say, have quietly been enforced in Lavale, Mulkhed, Bhugaon, and Nande villages. In Lavale, another central mosque, often frequented by Muslim youth from IT campuses and industrial zones, has restricted entry on Fridays. The decision was reportedly implemented under local pressure, although the mosque committee has not officially released a statement.
According to multiple residents and local reports, these resolutions were passed without consultation with the larger Muslim community.
Activists and legal observers note that the right to religious practice and free movement within the country is protected under the Indian Constitution. Resolutions that restrict access to religious institutions based on place of residence or religion could potentially be challenged in court as unconstitutional and discriminatory.
While most Hindu temples in these villages remain accessible to all, the targeted restriction on mosques sends a strong communal signal. Rights activists call it a “soft form of segregation.”
While some media outlets quoted unnamed Muslim locals from Lavale expressing fear and resignation, Maktoob could not independently verify those statements. However, several community members expressed deep anxiety over how such resolutions might escalate.
“We’re afraid this could spread to other parts of Pune too,” said Fayaz Shaikh. “First, they restricted Friday namaz. What next, Eid prayers? Funerals?”
