Authorities accused of ignoring a basic constitutional and religious right; symbolic funeral protest planned
ULHASNAGAR — Tension is growing in Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra’s Thane District after Muslim organisations warned of launching a major protest movement over the long-pending issue of a Muslim graveyard in the municipal corporation area.
Members of Ulhasnagar Muslim Samajik Sanstha have accused the administration and political leadership of delaying permission for burial facilities despite land already being officially reserved for a graveyard several years ago.
The organisation has now issued a strong warning to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde, saying that if formal permission for burials is not granted by 15 June, symbolic protests involving funeral processions will begin.
According to the organisation, every funeral coming from Camps 4 and 5 in Ulhasnagar will first be brought for a 10-minute sit-in protest outside the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) public relations office at Gol Maidan before being taken to Shahad graveyard for burial.
Community leaders said the issue has become deeply emotional because Muslim families in the area have struggled for years with the lack of proper burial space despite repeated promises from political parties.
In a letter sent to Eknath Shinde and Shrikant Shinde, the organisation stated that the Muslim community has waited patiently for nearly four years while the file regarding the reserved cemetery land remained stuck in government offices.
Leaders of the organisation said the administration’s continued delay has now exhausted the community’s patience.
The disputed land concerns Plot No. 244 in Ulhasnagar Camp 5, which was officially reserved for a Muslim graveyard in the 2019 Development Plan.
According to local Muslim leaders, objections from the public were invited at that time, yet no major dispute was raised during the process.
However, despite the reservation being officially recorded, burial permission has still not been granted even after several years.
Muslim groups have alleged that the delay is not administrative but political.
They claim that influential land interests and certain political elements are attempting to block the graveyard project because of the increasing value of the land.
A senior member of the organisation said, “If this land was officially reserved for a cemetery in 2019, why are objections being raised now? Why was a basic human and religious issue being turned into a controversy?”
The organisation also accused political parties of using Muslims for votes during elections and then ignoring their most basic needs after coming to power.
Community leaders recalled that during the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly election campaigns, leaders from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and local political groups had promised quick approval for the cemetery issue while seeking Muslim support.
According to Muslim representatives, MP Shrikant Shinde had assured a Muslim delegation during an election meeting that the matter would be resolved after discussions with the municipal commissioner.
Leaders said emotional slogans about friendship and unity were used during campaigning, but the Muslim community is still struggling for what they describe as a constitutional and religious right.
“This is not politics for us. This is about burying our dead with dignity,” said one resident.
The issue has become especially sensitive because Ulhasnagar’s growing Muslim population already faces limited burial facilities, forcing families to transport bodies long distances during times of grief.
Residents say this creates emotional, financial and logistical hardship, particularly for poor families.
A member of Ulhasnagar Muslim Samajik Sanstha confirmed the protest plan and warned that a hunger strike would also begin outside the municipal corporation office if no action is taken.
“If written permission for burials is not issued by 15 June, we will begin symbolic protests with funeral processions and later an indefinite hunger strike,” he said.
Social activists and minority rights groups have expressed concern over the issue, saying access to burial grounds is a fundamental civic necessity that should not become hostage to political delays.
Mumbai-based activist Dr Sameena Khan said, “Every community has the right to bury its dead respectfully. Delaying such matters for years creates anger and humiliation among ordinary people.”
Political observers noted that burial ground disputes involving Muslims have become increasingly controversial in several parts of India, often leading to tensions between local administrations and minority communities.
Legal experts also pointed out that once land is officially reserved in a development plan, authorities are expected to implement the process within a reasonable timeframe.
Advocate Irfan Engineer said, “This is not merely a religious issue. It is also an issue of administrative accountability and equal civic rights.”
For many Muslims in Ulhasnagar, the matter has now gone beyond land paperwork and become a question of dignity and trust.
A local elder said quietly, “We are only asking for a place to bury our loved ones peacefully. Even after years of waiting, we still have to beg for that right.”
