Fadnavis Suspends Minority Status Certificates Granted to 75 Schools After Ajit Pawar’s Death; Probe Ordered

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday ordered an immediate suspension of minority educational institution certificates issued to at least 75 schools across the state, following reports that the approvals were granted within hours of the death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

Ajit Pawar, who was also the head of the Minority Affairs Department, reportedly died in a plane crash on January 28. The sudden issuance of multiple minority status certificates soon after his death triggered political controversy, with opposition leaders demanding a thorough investigation.

Confirming the decision, Fadnavis stated that directions have been issued to halt the approvals and initiate an inquiry into the matter.

Sunetra Pawar Takes Charge, Calls Emergency Meeting

After Ajit Pawar’s demise, his wife Sunetra Pawar was appointed Deputy Chief Minister and given charge of the Minority Affairs Ministry. She reportedly convened an emergency meeting in Mumbai and instructed senior officials to take strict action against those involved in issuing the certificates.

Congress Raises Serious Questions

The issue was first highlighted by members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) in Pune. IYC state unit general secretary Akshay Jain questioned how the department resumed issuing minority certificates despite the process being suspended earlier.

Jain claimed that the issuance of such certificates had been halted by former minister Manikrao Kokate in August last year. After Kokate’s resignation in December 2025, Ajit Pawar took charge and maintained the status quo.

However, according to Jain, the department unexpectedly restarted the approval process immediately after Ajit Pawar’s death.

“He passed away in the morning, and by afternoon the applications were cleared,” Jain alleged, adding that between January 28 and February 3, around 75 institutions were granted minority status.

Allegations of Bribery Surface

The controversy deepened further after opposition leaders alleged large-scale corruption. Congress state president Harshvardhan Sapkal and NCP-SP legislator Rohit Pawar demanded not only a suspension but a detailed probe.

Rohit Pawar claimed that there were reports suggesting officials allegedly took ₹25 lakh per certificate to grant minority status to institutions.

He stressed that merely stopping the certificates was not enough and that the government must clarify under whose orders the approvals were granted.

Opposition Demands SIT Investigation

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve also criticised the government and demanded an SIT probe. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Khan highlighted that over 3,300 educational institutions in the state currently hold minority status and enjoy several benefits.

Khan stated that he had initiated action against certain institutions that were allegedly misusing the minority status to gain government concessions without genuinely benefiting students.

He further pointed out that minority institutions are exempt from admitting students under the Right to Education (RTE) quota, and they can appoint teachers even without TET qualification—provisions that have allegedly been misused by some managements to recruit unqualified relatives.

Government Under Pressure

With allegations of irregular approvals and corruption surfacing, the issue has intensified political tension in Maharashtra. The suspension order by Chief Minister Fadnavis is being viewed as a major step, but opposition parties continue to press for a deeper investigation and strict punishment of those responsible.