Yunus Alvi/ Nuh (Mewat Haryana)

A Muslim-majority village in the Nuh district of Haryana has elected a Hindu woman sarpanch (village head) by a unanimous decision.

Nisha Chauhan, 30, has thus become the sarpanch of village Siroli, in the Punhana block of Nuh district of Haryana through the votyes of a 15-member electoral body of elected representatives of whom only one is a Hindu.

Village Siroli has a population of 3295, of which only 250 voters are Hindus. The population in the village is Meo Muslims. Interestingly, the Nuh district of Mewat region is among the socially and economically backward areas of the country. Besides, a year ago, the region saw communal tension and violence triggered by an incident of stone pelting on a religious procession.

Nisha Chauhan was elected unanimously by 15 ward members (panch) of the Panchayat of which 8 are women on April 2.

Perhaps this is the first such instance of a Muslim-majority village electing a Hindu woman as Sarpanch.

The seat of Sarpanch in Siroli Panchayat is reserved for women. A woman named Sahana was victorious in the Panchayat elections held in December 2022. However, she was sacked after her educational documents were found to be fake.

Again, the villagers appointed Rekhshina as acting Sarpanch in March 2024. However, she too was sacked since members were dissatisfied with her functioning and the body of elected representatives (panch) passed a no-confidence motion against her in February.

After being elected unanimously Nisha Chauhan said, "This election is not just my victory but the victory of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb of Mewat.

There has always been a brotherly relationship between Hindus and Muslims here. I aim to bring development to every section of the panchayat.”

Former Sarpanch Ashraf Ali, 50, who supported Chauhan's election said, "We hope that Nisha Chauhan will set new records in the development of the village. There is no discrimination based on religion here. People enthusiastically participate in each other's religious and social functions...

It is very soothing to see such positive news coming from a district like Nuh, which has often been in the news for communal tension and lack of development.

This election shows that the general public still prefers mutual trust and development by rising above the walls of religion.

Punhana Block Development and Panchayat Officer Shamsher Singh, who is currently holding additional charge of Nuh, confirmed that the election was conducted democratically in the Panchayat. He said that all the members of the Panchayat were unanimous about this decision.

ALSO READ: Fostering harmony is simple: an activist recounts her visit to mosque on Eid

This election of Saroli village highlights the face of India which goes beyond the boundaries of religion and caste and talks about unity, peace, and development.