"Illegal and wrong": Ramdas Athawale objects to Muslim-only township under development in Maharashtra

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 6 (ANI): Union Minister Ramdas Athawale objected to the Muslim-only township being developed in Maharashtra's Raigad and said it is "illegal and wrong".
Speaking to ANI on Friday, Ramdas Athawale said, "I believe this is the first time in the country that some builders have announced plans to build a separate township for the Muslim community, which is quite objectionable. The Maharashtra government has opposed this, and many people are also opposing it."
He clarified that opposing the township does not mean opposing the Muslim community.
"This does not mean opposition to Muslims, but neither can such a township be announced for Hindus or Muslims. Therefore, I also oppose it, as announcing such a township is illegal and wrong. Legal action should be taken against them. This is our demand," he said.
The matter came to light after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took notice of the plan to develop the township.
BJP leader Atul Bhatkhalkar said that the Muslim-only township is against the Constitution.
He said, "Housing complexes are being built in Karjat and Kashimira, where homes will be given only to Muslims. This is against the Constitution, and there cannot be housing complexes for a particular caste or religion."
The BJP leader said that he has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding an inquiry into the matter.
"I have written a letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister yesterday and demanded an inquiry into three points: this advertisement should be pulled down from the internet, it needs to be investigated who these people are who want to create a divide in society, and is there foreign funding behind it?" Bhatkhalkar said.
Earlier on Wednesday, calling the Muslim-only township divisive, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said that the commission received a complaint from an NGO.
Kanoongo told ANI, "We received a complaint from the Sahyadri Rights Forum NGO that in Maharashtra's Karjat area, a township is being developed that is providing facilities only for the habitation of Muslims. If separate settlements are being built for Muslims in India, in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Maharashtra, by creating fear that Muslims cannot live with Hindus and giving them separate settlements, then this clearly reflects the implementation of the principle of nation within the nation."
He added that the commission has issued a notice to the chief secretary of Maharashtra and asked him to submit a report.
"We will not allow this to happen. We have issued a notice to the chief secretary of Maharashtra. This is not a matter that will stop here. Today, you are claiming that you want houses where only Muslims live... Then one day, you might demand a separate state for Muslims in Maharashtra. This is a serious type of disease. We have asked the chief secretary how the permission was granted to form such a society; submit a report to us on this," he said. (ANI)