September 6, 2025: Maharashtra’s Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday declared that no ‘halal township’ would be permitted in Karjat. “No township or scheme will be allowed in the name of halal. Even boards promoting such schemes will be removed,” he stated.
The controversy began after an advertisement for a proposed township in Neral, Karjat, circulated widely on social media. The promotional video depicted the project as a community designed to raise children in a “safe halal environment”, highlighting facilities such as prayer spaces and communal gathering areas within walking distance.
Following the video’s release, Priyank Kanoongo, chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, lodged a formal complaint, arguing that such marketing could be divisive.
Bawankule’s statement reflects the state government’s firm stance against projects framed along religious lines. Officials confirmed that no permissions would be granted for any scheme presented under the ‘halal’ banner.
Source: The Times Of India
