A political and administrative controversy has surfaced in Maharashtra after the state’s Minority Department cleared 75 files related to minority educational institutions on January 28. The approvals reportedly involved recognition and permissions for minority schools.

The issue gained attention because the file clearances happened on the same day news broke about senior leader Ajit Pawar’s plane incident, which had already engaged the attention of the state administration and political leadership.

Opposition parties have raised concerns about how such a large number of files could be processed in a single day, questioning whether proper procedures, scrutiny, and verification were followed. They alleged that the sudden approvals created suspicion and demanded transparency.

Amid the controversy, Deputy Secretary Milind Shenoy was transferred, and the government launched an inquiry to investigate the matter. Officials are now examining whether the approvals followed legal procedures or were cleared hastily.

Political experts say the final outcome will depend on the investigation, but the issue has already become a major political debate in the state.