Muslims claim they are being denied access to cemetery land allotted in 1974. They are now warning of an indefinite hunger strike if demands are ignored
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI – Residents and members of the Muslim Jamaat Seva Foundation in Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra’s Thane District are protesting the continued denial of land for a cemetery promised to them more than 50 years ago. As part of the protest, a chain hunger strike has begun outside the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) office.
Frustrated by years of inaction and alleged discrimination. “This is not just about land. This is about our right to bury our dead with dignity, which every human being deserves,” said Jalil Khan, president of the Muslim Jamaat Seva Foundation. “Hindus and Christians have been given their places, but we are still begging. Is this justice?”
According to documents and eyewitness accounts, the UMC had allotted 2 acres of land in Kailash Colony back in 1974 under a development plan. The land was designated for a Muslim graveyard, a Christian cemetery, and a Hindu crematorium.
However, while the Hindu and Christian communities were granted access and continue to use their respective plots, the Muslim community has been kept waiting for five decades.
“We are treated like outsiders in our own country,” said Shakeel Khan, working president of the foundation. “This land was legally sanctioned in 1974. Then again, in 2019, the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation passed a resolution to give us plot number 244 in Kailash Colony. But even after six years, nothing has moved.”
The protestors have pointed fingers directly at political interference and bias within the municipal system. They believe that powerful elements are preventing the handover of the cemetery land to the Muslim community.
Anil Sinha, the general secretary of the organisation and a Hindu himself, stood in solidarity with the protest. “I’ve attended six meetings with the UMC over the past year on this issue. Every meeting was cancelled without explanation,” he said. “It’s clear that there’s pressure from political parties who do not want the Muslim community to get what is rightfully theirs.”
“This is nothing but discrimination. If you’re going to treat one community differently, how can you call this a democracy?” Sinha added.
The situation worsened after even the intervention of the Bombay High Court did not lead to action. In 2019, following repeated complaints and legal steps taken by Muslim groups, the UMC passed a proposal to officially allocate the plot for a Muslim graveyard.
Yet, for six years, the municipal body has not handed over the land. The delay has meant that Muslim families in Ulhasnagar have been forced to take their dead outside the city for burial, sometimes to areas as far as Kalyan or Bhiwandi.
“Do you know the pain of taking your loved one’s body miles away just to bury them?” asked Bilal Shaikh, a resident. “This is mental torture. Even in death, we are not allowed dignity.”
Since Thursday, protestors have been on a chain hunger strike outside the UMC headquarters, taking turns in shifts. The protest is peaceful but determined.
“If our voices are ignored again, we will begin an indefinite hunger strike from Monday,” warned Jalil Khan.
Clarion India attempted to contact Ulhasnagar Assistant Municipal Commissioner Mayuri Kadam, but the official remained unreachable.
“This silence speaks volumes,” said Shakeel Khan. “When it comes to our rights, the administration disappears.”
Camp No. 5 in Ulhasnagar, where a large Muslim population lives, has no burial ground despite decades of existence. The failure to provide basic services is a reflection of systemic neglect and institutional bias.
“This is not about politics anymore. This is about humanity. Muslims in this city pay taxes like everyone else. Yet we are denied the right to even bury our dead in the land that belongs to us,” said Fatima Bi, an elderly woman participating in the protest.
Local activists also said this is part of a larger pattern of discrimination against Muslims in various parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Thane, and Nashik.
“In many places, we are treated like second-class citizens,” said Mohammed Rizwan, a youth activist. “From housing to education, and now even death — there is no respect for Muslim lives.”
The protestors are not asking for charity. They are demanding what is legally theirs. They have called on the chief minister and the governor to intervene immediately.
“We want the land officially handed over. No more meetings. No more excuses,” said Anil Sinha.
Letters have also been sent to the State Minority Commission, the Maharashtra Waqf Board, and several Muslim Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), urging them to take up the matter.
While the hunger strike continues, none of the major political leaders of Maharashtra have visited the site or spoken in support.
“Where is the so-called secular leadership now?” asked Rizwan. “They all come to us for votes, but vanish when we suffer. Muslims are not vote banks; we are citizens.”
Even as the strike enters its next phase, there is growing anger and pain among the Muslim community in Ulhasnagar. Many say they will take the issue to the streets if ignored again.
“This is not just about land,” said Jalil Khan, his voice breaking. “This is about our identity, our dignity, and our right to live and die in peace.”
