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The Wire
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
Hindutva Groups' Threats, Boycott Calls Drive Muslim Families Out of Two Pune Villages
Communalism A team of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) members conducted a fact-finding exercise on July 2 in both villages, only to find a palpable climate of fear, shuttered businesses, disrupted lives, and displaced families. Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty. Mumbai: In a disturbing wave of targeted communal intimidation and socio-economic boycotts, several Muslims have been forced to flee the Paud and Pirangut villages in Mulshi taluka, Pune district. Although most of these Muslim individuals and their families have lived in these villages for over two decades, many Hindus from the villages have justified the boycott claiming that they are 'non-native Muslims'. A team of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) members conducted a fact-finding exercise on July 2 in both villages, only to find a palpable climate of fear, shuttered businesses, disrupted lives, and displaced families. The PUCL and APCR investigations followed reports of illegal posters calling for a boycott of non-native Muslims, which surfaced after an alleged desecration of an Annapurna Devi idol on May 2, in Paud, followed by a march by BJP and other right-wing groups on May 5. At these rallies, open threats were given to the Muslims of the village. The posters, along with threats and harassment, created a communal atmosphere, PUCL says, prompting them to submit a memorandum to Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill. The posters eventually were removed. But the damage it caused were much deeper. The Muslim-owned businesses like bakeries, scrap shops, salons, and chicken shops continue to remain closed. 'Despite repeated complaints to the police, we've received no protection to reopen our businesses,' said owner of Roshan Bakery in Paud, during a press conference that the PUCL organised in Pune on July 4. The owner further added, 'Our family has lived here for 40 years, yet we're labelled outsiders because my father's village is in Uttar Pradesh. We were warned not to reopen our bakery or face consequences.' Besides Roshan Bakery, two others – New Sangam and New Bharat – have been padlocked, costing around 400 workers their daily wages. The bakery provided employment to both Muslims and non-Muslims. 'Five Hindu vendors who sold our bread door-to-door are now jobless,' added owner of Bharat Bakery, which was established over 32 years ago. 'This isn't just about religion; it's about destroying our means of survival,' he said. The fact-finding committee met with Paud Police Station Inspector Santosh Girigosavi, who confirmed that controversial posters were removed following the SP's orders. However, the issue does not get resolved just with the removal of the posters. Several Hindutva members have allegedly been openly intimidating Muslim business owners to lease their shops and leave. Hindu Rashtra Sena member Dhananjay Desai, who has earlier faced trial in the killing of a IT professional Mohsin Shaikh in 2014 and was subsequently acquitted for want of evidence, has been once again accused of orchestrating threats from a farmhouse near Vitthalwadi village in Pune. Police confirmed a case against Desai for seizing a farmhouse, declaring that he is absconding. Another scrap shop owner, whose shop was set ablaze in early June, causing a loss of Rs 20 lakh, recounted his ordeal. 'I've lived here for years, married here, but after my shop was burned, I had to move my family to Kamshet. I filed a complaint and requested compensation, but nothing has come of it.' Like many others, he hopes to return once the situation stabilises. The hate campaign has also targeted religious spaces. Posters outside two mosques restricted namaz to local Muslims, deterring worshippers from nearby Kolvan village. Though removed, the fear lingers, with Muslims avoiding the mosques. 'The atmosphere is still tense,' a local Muslim resident, requesting anonymity, has said. The displacement has taken a severe toll. Many have had to flee to their ancestral villages in Uttar Pradesh; several have found refuge in close by Kamshet. In all this, along with livelihood, the children are the worst affected. Many had to abruptly stop their education. One of the villagers also shared instances of heightened surveillance that he and other Muslims from the village have been facing. 'A WhatsApp group of 400 villagers tracks our movements. When I went to a medical store for my son's medicine, my photo was immediately shared in the group,' he said. Ashok Matre, former Congress taluka president in Pirangut, lamenting the erosion of Mulshi's 'historical harmony', said, 'Muslims used to participate in the [Hindu religious festival of] Harinaam Saptah, wearing traditional attire. But groups like RSS, Shiv Pratishthan, and Hindu Rashtra Sena have poisoned minds.' PUCL condemned the economic boycotts as 'unconstitutional'. The Indian constitution, the human rights group emphasises, guarantees that an individual can conduct business anywhere. Civil rights groups are preparing legal action to address the violations. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Defunct state women commission a concern in J'khand: Union min
M inistry of women and child development minister and Koderma MP Annapurna Devi talks to Kritika Tiwary on her agenda and ongoing efforts to uplift women and children nationwide. Excerpts: How many women and child development projects are currently active in Jharkhand? At present, there are over 37,815 anganwadi centres in the state. Of them, more than 16,700 centres have been approved under the Saksham Anganwadi initiative, which includes facilities like clean drinking water with RO systems, LED lights, Poshan Vatika (nutrition gardens), and water harvesting structures. These upgrades aim to provide a healthier environment to children and mothers. How effective is the women and child related schemes in the state? Twenty four districts have active 'One Stop Centres', and approval has been granted for 11 more in large or underserved districts. These centres support women in distress. Women can call the 181 Women Helpline. Upon receiving the call, the team tracks the location and immediately dispatches support. We also have counsellors and legal aid (DLSA) tied up with every centre. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Every district has a dedicated women empowerment hub. Are there specific projects for children in need of protection? Yes, there are over 50 Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in the state that cater to both CNCP (children in need of care and protection) and CCL (children in conflict with law). Separate facilities exist for boys and girls, and we also coordinate with Childline 1098. What financial schemes are provided under the PMMVY in state? Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, the state has provided benefits to approximately 9.3 lakh women. For the first child, mothers receive Rs 5,000, and for the second child (if a girl), they receive Rs 6,000. In the last financial year alone, Rs 421 crore was disbursed directly to beneficiaries. Beneficiaries can now self-register digitally for schemes. Are any new infrastructure projects sanctioned recently? Seven new working women hostels have been sanctioned in Jharkhand. We've also approved Palna-cum-creche facilities at anganwadi centres. Has the Centre assessed Jharkhand's performance? Yes. Performance varies across schemes. States like Haryana (Palna), Tamil Nadu (hostels), and Gujarat (nutrition) are doing well in respective areas. In Jharkhand, despite progress, the absence of a state women's commission for the past 6 years is a concern.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Union min launches regional training centre of women, child in city
1 2 Ranchi: The Regional Training Centre of the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD) was inaugurated on Friday at the JUPMI Building, located within the Smart City premises in Ranchi. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Annapurna Devi , Union minister for women and child development. The centre, envisioned as a hub for capacity building and policy implementation, will not only serve the state but also cater to neighbouring states including Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal. The SPNIWCD currently operates five regional training centres across India, making the centre the sixth and the first in the eastern region. The newly launched centre is equipped with two modern training rooms, each with a seating capacity of 75 participants, and includes a residential facility with 78 rooms to accommodate trainees from across the region. The centre will include district social welfare officers, child development project officers, women supervisors, district child protection officers, and members of the child welfare committees. Speaking on the occasion, minister Devi said, "The centre is expected to play a critical role in decentralizing capacity-building efforts in eastern India. It will support the implementation of major flagship programmes such as Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Nutrition 2.0, Mission Shakti, Mission Samarthya, and Mission Vatsalya. By focusing on structured and technical training, the centre aims to enhance the skills and knowledge base of front-line workers and officials, thereby improving service delivery, monitoring, and outreach effectiveness. " Minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth, who too attended the event besides other dignitaries, said, "With this dedicated training facility now operational in the city, access to training and capacity-building resources will become more streamlined, enabling faster and more region-specific implementation of central schemes."
The Print
04-07-2025
- General
- The Print
Regional centre of Savitribai Phule National Institute to be inaugurated in Ranchi
The minister said that the Ranchi centre would help implement central government schemes effectively in these four states. The new regional centre will play an important role for four states – Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. Ranchi, Jul 4 (PTI) Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi is scheduled to inaugurate a regional centre of Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD) in Ranchi on Friday. It will not only empower frontline functionaries with better access to training and support, but also strengthen flagship missions at the grassroots level, she added. The SPNIWCD, which was earlier known as National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development, was set up in 1966 and has played a strategic role in advancing the development of women and children. Till now, the Delhi-based national institute has five regional centres in Guwahati, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Indore and Mohali to cater to the region-specific requirements. PTI SAN NN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
State to get new centre for women, child development
1 2 Union women and child development (WCD) minister and Koderma MP Annapurna Devi on Wednesday said that the inauguration of a new regional centre of the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD) in Ranchi would be held on July 4. "The new regional centre will cater to states in the eastern region -- Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal -- which collectively host over 7 lakh functionaries, spread across 115 districts, under flagship schemes such as Mission Shakti , Mission Vatsalya, and Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0," the minister said in a statement. "Previously, training needs of these four states were partially catered through regional centres located in Guwahati and Lucknow, posing logistical challenges for many functionaries due to long travel distances. The new regional centre will also offer the Advance Diploma in Child Guidance and Counselling and will facilitate better accessibility for front-line functionaries in these Eastern region states," the ministry said on Wednesday. The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) was recently renamed as the SPNIWCD. "This renaming took place under the visionary leadership of Union Minister for WCD Annpurna Devi," the department said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "The renaming of the NIPCCD is a tribute to the legacy of one of India's foremost social reformers and a reaffirmation of our commitment to women and child-centric development," Annapurna said. Highlighting the importance of setting up new regional centres, she further said that the inauguration of the new centre in Ranchi would mark a significant step towards decentralised, region-specific capacity building in the Eastern region. This Centre will not only empower our frontline functionaries with better access to training and support but also strengthen our flagship missions at the grass-roots level. The NIPCCD, now renamed as the SPNIWCD, has its headquarters in New Delhi and presently has regional centres in Bangalore, Guwahati, Lucknow, Indore and Mohali. It serves as the apex body for training, research, documentation, and capacity building in the field of women and child development. The institute plays a pivotal role in strengthening implementation mechanisms under various flagship schemes through its online and physical training programmes, the department said.
