Maharashtra: Police Restrict Annual Urs of Hazrat Pir Rehan Malik in Kolhapur

Date:

Despite decades of tradition, the Urs could not be held this year due to police intervention following political pressure from Minister Nitish Rane.

Team Clarion

KOLHAPUR – The annual Urs of Hazrat Pir Rehan Malik Baba, a significant religious event celebrated for decades, was not held this year due to a police order prohibiting the gathering. This decision, reportedly influenced by a request from the controversial minister Nitish Rane, has sparked widespread outrage and calls for social cohesion among local communities.

The Urs, which is traditionally observed at the shrine of Hazrat Pir Rehan Malik on the historic Vishalgarh fort in Kolhapur district, attracts a large number of devotees each year. The event, meant to show respect to the revered Sufi saint usually sees hundreds of Muslim. However, this year, the police intervened and refused permission to the organisers, citing concerns raised by Nitish Rane.

According to sources, Rane, who has a history of making inflammatory remarks against Muslims, allegedly requested the police to prevent any gathering of Muslims at the shrine. His remarks, often seen as provocative, have sparked controversy, and many observers argue that his political influence is leading to the unjust restriction of religious freedoms.

The actions taken by the police have left many in the local Muslim community feeling targeted. “It is an attempt to suppress our religious rights,” one local Muslim resident stated. “The Urs is a peaceful event, and yet the authorities have chosen to restrict it under pressure from individuals who seek to fuel division.”

On Sunday, despite the ban, Sujat Ambedkar, the young leader of the Vanchat Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and son of Prakash Ambedkar, visited the shrine to offer a chadar (cloth offering) at the dargah. Ambedkar’s visit was welcomed by local residents in Ghazapur and Bodhwadi, two areas in Vishalgarh, but his presence also highlighted the strong police presence in the area. A large contingent of 70 police personnel and six officers was stationed at the location to maintain order. The police’s stringent measures, however, did little to dissuade the devotion of local Muslims, many of whom still attempted to visit the shrine despite the prohibitive actions.

While the Urs began at 10 am, the police restricted access after 5 pm, allowing only 1,365 devotees to visit the shrine on that day. By evening, they instructed all remaining visitors to leave the premises, effectively cutting short the event. This move was met with anger from community members, who questioned why a peaceful religious gathering had been subjected to such tight controls.

A significant point of tension arises from a past incident. In the previous year, a mob led by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje, a former Member of Parliament, attacked and vandalised the mosque in Ghazapur, which is located near the shrine. The ongoing friction between some local political figures and the Muslim community has contributed to an atmosphere of fear and resentment.

Sujat Ambedkar, addressing the media during his visit, condemned the actions of those attempting to distort the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a revered figure for both Hindus and Muslims. “Some individuals are trying to rewrite history for their political gains,” Ambedkar said. “Shivaji Maharaj’s army included a large number of Muslims, and he fought for social justice for all communities. These attempts to portray him as an enemy of Muslims are misleading.”

Ambedkar further emphasised the importance of unity among all communities in India. “We came here today to visit the shrine of Hazrat Pir Rehan Malik to uphold social harmony. It is crucial that we stand together against attempts to divide us,” he said.

Alongside Ambedkar, Uday Narkar, the State Secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), also visited the shrine and expressed strong disapproval of the police’s decision to impose a ban on the Urs. “This action is unjust, and we cannot support it,” Narkar stated. “Both communities should work together to ensure peace and maintain the brotherhood that our nation is known for.”

The imposition of ban on the Urs of Hazrat Pir Rehan Malik has sparked a wider debate about religious freedom and political interference in the lives of ordinary citizens. Critics argue that the imposition of such bans under political pressure is detrimental to India’s secular fabric and serves only to fuel communal tensions.

“These actions by the authorities are only furthering a narrative of division,” said a local community leader. “Muslims, Hindus, and people of all faiths have lived together in harmony for centuries. This is not just an attack on the Muslim community, but on the very idea of unity that our country stands for.”

As tensions continue to rise, many are calling for a reversal of the police’s decision and for the government to take a firm stand against individuals using religion for political gain. The Urs of Hazrat Pir Rehan Malik is not just a religious occasion for Muslims; it is a symbol of the diversity and pluralism that India has long prided itself on.

“The government needs to ensure that such events are protected and that the rights of all citizens, regardless of their religion, are respected,” said another community member. “Only then can we hope to achieve the peace and unity that our forefathers fought for.”

Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

‘Completing the Genocide’: What is the US-Israeli Endgame with Gaza Takeover Plan?

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump’s controversial statements about...

‘Election Commission Is Dead, Will Have To Gift Them White Cloth’, Says SP Chief Akhilesh

Clarion India NEW DELHI - After allegations were levelled by Samajwadi...

PM Modi’s Speech in RS Full of Lies, Half-Truths, Says Congress

Clarion India NEW DELHI - The Congress on Thursday...