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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Muslims aghast at a Hindu dons CEO’s cap

Mumbai : Sparking intense debate and deep unease among Muslims, the Maharashtra government has appointed a non-Muslim IAS officer as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State Haj Committee (SHC), just as preparations for the annual Haj pilgrimage get underway.   According to official sources, Manoj Jadhav, a high-ranking IAS officer, is named the new SHC CEO, replacing Shaikh Ibrahim S. Aslam, who demitted office recently.   The appointment is being described by critics as unprecedented...

Muslims aghast at a Hindu dons CEO’s cap

Mumbai : Sparking intense debate and deep unease among Muslims, the Maharashtra government has appointed a non-Muslim IAS officer as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the State Haj Committee (SHC), just as preparations for the annual Haj pilgrimage get underway.   According to official sources, Manoj Jadhav, a high-ranking IAS officer, is named the new SHC CEO, replacing Shaikh Ibrahim S. Aslam, who demitted office recently.   The appointment is being described by critics as unprecedented in the state’s history, even as state government officials maintain that the SHC CEO’s role is administrative in nature.   Unconvinced, community leaders and legal experts point out that the position carries significant religious and operational responsibilities.   India sends around 1.75-lakh Haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia every year, with a substantial majority coordinated through state and central Haj committees. The CEO is directly involved in overseeing the logistics, accommodation, travel schedules, coordination with Saudi authorities, and compliance with religious requirements associated with the Holy Haj pilgrimage.   Former SHC Chairman (2014-2018) Alhaj Ebrahim Gulam Nabi Shaikh, said the appointment has raised serious questions over its validity. “There is no provision in either the Central or State Haj Committee Acts that explicitly allows or envisages such an appointment. It is shocking how this decision was taken without consulting all stakeholders. Beyond administration, the CEO must address several religious and community-sensitive issues. Many Muslims are genuinely worried about how this will be handled,” he told The Perfect Voice.   Well-known advocate Yusuf Abrahani termed the decision “blatantly illegal” and said it has caused widespread distress. “I am in touch with major Muslim organisations, community leaders, trusts, and clerics across the state. We plan to challenge this appointment in court as early as next week,” he said.   Abrahani further noted that the CEO is traditionally expected to travel to Mecca and Medina, engage with Haj authorities, and possess a working understanding of Haj rites, rituals, and Islamic practices.   “This is far from being merely an organisational job. The question is not personal competence, but institutional appropriateness and legality,” he added.   Muslim intellectual M. Faisal Azmi, whose father, the late Hafiz Naushad Azmi was an ex-SHC Chairman, described the development as ‘absolutely unimaginable’. “It has shaken the entire Muslim community. Senior religious leaders and legal experts are discussing various options to challenge and rectify this,” he said.   “This is purely a matter of faith and religious administration of the Muslim community and cannot be tinkered with casually. It must be examined whether the Haj Committee Act permits such an appointment and under what circumstances. If it does not, the decision is clearly open to legal challenge.” SUHAIL KHANDWANI, Managing Trustee, Haji Ali Dargah & Mahim Dargah   “It is a matter of deep regret. Muslims are being systematically sidelined from key statutory and official bodies. Now even the Maharashtra State Haj Committee has not been spared. The motives may be questionable, but such actions will not succeed in weakening the community’s resolve.” MAULANA MAHMOOD DARYABDI, General Secretary, All India Ulema Council

Knives out in legislature

Updated: Mar 21, 2025

Disha Salian

Mumbai: Death of celebrity manager Disha Salian in 2020 once again rocked the Maharashtra legislature on Thursday. While cabinet ministers Nitesh Rane and Shambhuraj Desai demanded that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray be arrested in the case, BJP MLA Amit Satam in the assembly and another BJP member Chitra Wagh in the council demanded that the report of SIT to probe Salian’s death be made public.


Incidentally, amidst repeated disruptions in both the houses, some members from the treasury benches were seen speaking in favour of Aditya Thackeray, while Shiv Sena (UBT) members like Adv Anil Parab were seen supporting the BJP members’ demand that the report of the SIT probe be made public. In addition, there were allegations and counter allegations and personal accusations among members from the treasury and opposition benches which led to heated debate on occasions.


The opposition termed the attempts from the treasury benches to link Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray’s name in the case, as a ‘conspiracy’.


“I think this matter has gone to the court. We have no idea what he (Disha’s father) has said, but Aaditya Thackeray is a mature leader, a young leader. The Bharatiya Janata Party is conspiring to defame him by putting pressure on him. We don’t need to answer to this conspiracy. The court will answer,” Ambadas Danve said.


Earlier in the day, when the house gathered for the business, Minister of State for Home appraised the assembly of the status in this case. “SIT has been formed to probe in the case. Their report has not been received as yet. However, the government shall act according to directives from the court,” the minister told the house.


Another BJP minister Nitesh Rane, however, said that since Satish Salian has levelled allegations against an MVA minister, that leader be treated like a common person and that everybody should be treated equally before the law. Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai too supported the demand. “Since the allegations are grave, the person in question should be immediately arrested and the case be investigated,” he said.


Later, while speaking to media in the legislature premises, Rane asked Uddhav Thackeray to come clean on the issue. “If they say that we are politicizing the issue, Uddhav Thackeray should also tell the people why he had called, not just once but twice, to the then union minister Narayan Rane urging him to save his son?” Rane said.


He also accused the opposition of shying away from coming clean on the issue. “If they feel that we are not telling the truth, they should say so in the house. But they are shying away from doing so. Bhaskar Jadhav, who is always aggressive, was nowhere to be seen when this issue came up in the house. Sunil Prabhu too escaped the house under the pretext of a phone call. I challenge them to say that whatever I said on the issue is wrong,” Rane said.


He also said that Aditya Thackeray should resign on moral grounds till his name is cleared in the case.


BJP MLA Amit Satam demanded that the details of the SIT probe be made public so that the people would know if the probe is headed in right direction.


Interestingly, while the ruling parties were targeting the opposition in the case, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar surprised all with his unexpected support to Thackerays. “I do not have any evidences in the case. But if her father has made any fresh allegations that needs to be investigated thoroughly. The assembly can discuss the issue at length tomorrow. In the meanwhile, members like Rane, who seem to have some evidences in the case should hand them over to the investigating agencies and help the probe,” he told the house.


Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Gaikwad and Sheetal Mhatre too toed the line and demanded that more and more evidences should come forth.


Similarly, when members of treasury benches were pushing for revealing the details of the probe till date to the public, Shiv Sena (UBT) member Anil Parab supported the demand. “Doing that shall conclusively prove the innocence of Aditya Thackeray,” he said.

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