Slogan row fallout: Village mandates 'outsiders' to get gram panchayat nod to run businesses

The gram panchayat of a village in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district has decided not to allow people from other states to run their businesses without its permission, officials said on Wednesday, a move coming days after a row over anti-India slogans involving a UP family.

The decision was taken by the gram panchayat of Trimbak village under Malvan taluka of the coastal district, around 500km from Mumbai, an official said.

In order to convey their decision and publicise it, the gram panchayat has put up banners at various places in the village, he said.

The banners have messages which say people from other states who want to do small business in the village like dealing in scraps, selling vegetables, hawking their wares or street vending are advised to meet the village head or officials of the gram panchayat in the office.

After obtaining due permission, they will be allowed to do business or roam in the village to sell their materials and other items, the official said.

The gram panchayat will not allow hawkers or street vendors from other states to enter the village and operate their business if they do not have the required permission. Strict action will be taken against persons doing their business without nod from the village head or gram panchayat, he said.

A senior police official confirmed that Trimbak's gram panchayat, an elected village-level body, has taken such a decision.

A gram panchayat has the authority to formulate rules for the betterment of the village under its jurisdiction, he emphasised.

''The decision has been taken to avoid any untoward incident and not to target any community,'' the senior official clarified.

The move comes days after a scrap dealer hailing from Uttar Pradesh and his wife were arrested and their teenage son was detained by police in Malvan town for allegedly raising anti-India slogans during the February 23 India-Pakistan cricket match in the Champions Trophy in Dubai.

Local civic authorities later razed a shop taken on rent by the family, saying it was built illegally. Another shop belonging to the man's elder brother was also demolished by municipal council authorities.

Shaken by the action of civic authorities, the family of the scrap dealer is considering leaving the coastal town.