Home minister RR Patil announced on Wednesday in the legislative council that villages with a background of communal riots would not be allowed to participate in the competition for dispute-free villages.
His announcement has significance in the wake of the first award for dispute-free village to Khairlanji in Bhandara district. The tiny village had seen a massacre of four people in 2006.
Patil's announcement came after NCP member Ram Pandangale raised objection to the award given to Khairlanji for being a dispute-free village. “It is a shame that the government selected a village for this award which saw a massacre of dalits,” Pandangale said.
He even demanded action against the collector and the guardian minister of Bhandara. Pandangale got support from ruling as well as opposition members.
