No muslims please

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Is Mumbai really as cosmopolitan as it is commonly perceived?

“Nah…how can this happen in Mumbai, that too with a Bollywood star?” I heard many people say when Emraan Hashmi reported that he was having difficulty in finding an apartment due to his faith. Then it was Shabana Azmi. “I wanted to buy a flat in Bombay and it wasn't given to me because I was a Muslim and I read the same about Saif (Ali Khan). Now, I mean, if Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi cannot get a flat in Bombay because they are Muslims, then what are we talking about?”

I've studied in Mumbai, stayed in a hostel and enjoyed the freedom to move about even in the late hours of night or wee hours of morning more or less safely. I come from the town of Udaipur, where everyone knows you and seems interested in your affairs. But, when need be, they would also go out of their way to help you. In Mumbai, I loved that people tended to mind their own business. Here, you could feel carefree and uncared for. But not discriminated. At least I thought so.

Years down the line, I've been sensitised towards professionals, students, families, strugglers and stars who have one tag in common — I am a Muslim. A couple of months back, my cousin, who is a pilot with Jet Airways, had his base assigned as Mumbai. He came, stayed at our place and I was sure he'd find a good flat on rent soon in the suburbs.

Daunting task

But it proved to be a much more trying task than we'd anticipated. Through various agents, he scanned Powai, Santacruz, Andheri Lokhandwala, Kandivali Lokhandwala, Thakur Complex (Kandivali), Thakur Village (Kandivali) and so on. The choice proved to be very limited for Muslims. Many more options were available in the same areas, through the same agents, for my sister-in-law (husband's sister), who is a Bengali Brahmin. Most of the agents are gracious enough to inform you at the start about the limited options. The more discreet ones politely shake their heads about the unavailability.

Post many agents and many rejections, my cousin finalised a flat in Kandivali Lokhandwala and gave the token amount. After much delay, it was returned as the society had refused to let a Muslim in, although the owner was ready.

Last week, we went to see a flat in a building complex in Thakur Complex, adjoining the highway, where the society didn't have a problem with a Muslim tenant. But the owner refused to lend it to a Muslim. Although my husband assured that he, a Marwadi, was his brother-in-law and our offices were located quite near that building, there was no convincing the owner.

More liberal place

I walked away from that building, thinking about my grandfather who was the only one to open his shop during the Partition riots in the majority-dominated locality. People from all communities loved him well enough to elect him the Vice Mayor and then Mayor of Udaipur. His wife, my grandma, was the one of the initiators of women's education in Rajasthan and served as the Vice President of the Rajasthan Branch of All India Women's Conference (AIWC), of which Maharani Gayatri Devi was the President, way back in 1952. Our family comprises Kayasth Hindus, Shia and Sunni Muslims, Punjabis, Marwadis Baniyas, Bohras…many of whom have considerable contribution in politics, social service, arts, wildlife, conservation, literature and education in India.

We celebrate all festivals round the year. I was always told that the fabric of Indian society was rich with a profusion of languages, traditions and cultures woven over the ancient, medieval and modern ages. It was impossible to separate it thread by thread. Come to think of it, perhaps our little town of Udaipur is much more liberal at heart than many a cosmopolitan city. Perhaps the people of olden days were more liberal-minded than many a modern Indian.

Many societies in Mumbai, of which the majority flats are owned by business classes, have the unwritten rule of not allowing Muslims in. In the apartment complex where my in-laws live, one of the best in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai, there is not a single Muslim family. Even though initially the builders may sell flats to Muslims, once the society is formed, no more are allowed. This is not a general rule in all societies, of course, but a prevalent one.

Yes, there are Muslims, as well as other minority communities, who prefer to stay in ghettos. But I realise, with a heavy heart, that there are not many places for a liberal Muslim to go to. And aren't the majority communities making ghettoes for themselves by not letting the others in?

In Gokuldham society of the popular comedy serial “Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chashma”, there are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, but not a single Muslim family (except a token Muslim small store owner). Perhaps that reflects the reality of many other building complexes in Mumbai.

No Muslims Please!

arefatehsin@gmail.com

Readers Comments:

Yes, this is disappointing to read. That too about Mumbai. The
tapestry of city has changed irreversibly since 1992.
from: Anand
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 15:41 IST

Being a Mumbaikar, I also found the same practice in some of the areas of Mumbai where Muslims are not allowed to buy/rent a flat. Even I had been asked earlier by relatives not to let out my flat to Muslims. I found it radiculas and I gave it one muslim family and they are living happily. Discrimination can't be done on the basis of gender, casete or religion. If we are doing this, it means the we are not educated, only literate. For the kind information of all the reader, I am a Hindu and broker who helped to buy the flat was Muslim.
from: Ajeet
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 15:47 IST

I started reading the article with a prejudice of 'perceived'
insecurity of Muslims, I even checked if the author was one. But this
article is what I have seen myself sometimes and is not preachy. The
idea that "Perhaps the people of olden days were more liberal-minded
than many a modern Indian" struck to me as somewhat poignant. I am
intrigued at what makes people behave the way they do.

Who has the perceived insecurity now?
from: Pavan
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 15:54 IST

If people have changed over the years... could anyone throw some light on what
caused this change - "Why?" is the question the bugs me... (Don't say racism...Even
the persecution of Jews by Nazis had a trigger reason...)
from: Bharat
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 16:06 IST

I request not to generalize whole Mumbai with views of few rudimentary
individuals. I have resided in Mumbai for long and at least posh-
societies & elite people have no issues with religion anymore. Same go
through upper & upper-middle income people also.
The problem is with middle & lower income categories where they still
take decisions based on religion, sentiments and traditions so they
prefer people from their own caste let alone religion.
Further we all are very much skeptic about renting our house to some
stranger cause if he/she turns out to be a law-breaker then ultimately
owners have to feel the heat.
And a personal incidence I remember I wanted to rent my appartment in
Vile Parle and one youth muslim couple was reluctant to go through 7
days time period while entering rental contract for thorough police
verification of their character & past doings and when I refused them
entry, they categorise me as anti-secular. Later I rent the house to
Jewish family despite being Hindu
from: Mani Bhushan
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 16:06 IST

Dear Arefa,
The mumabai you are talking about is mumbai post- riots of early 90's that saw many innocent people losing their lives due to bomb blasts that continued well into next decades. Look back into history and you will find excesses meted out by Mughals and other of their likes - such wounds take deep roots and can be destroyed anly by confidence building measures between communties.I appreciate the liberal outlook of your family and would request you to keep up with legacy of your family and not let the communalist attitude of such people to daunt you - for families like yours are the true identities of the diversity of India that each patriotic Indian is proud of. I was driven from my motherland - kahsmir but it would not serve to hate al uslims - as gandhiji said - if eye is takenn for eye, one day whole world will become blind. So lets keep our eyes open for the little mercies of God and strive for better times ahead.
from: chandrika kaul
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 16:08 IST

This problem is not limited to Mumbai. I have heard similar complaints about
Chennai too. We are really weak in the area of non-discrimination.
from: Ramesh
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 16:13 IST

The chief middle-class bourgeois of Urban India are primarily upper-caste with their baggage of suspicion for not just Muslims but also the lower castes. And it is this reality that India is the oldest home of racism and the tragedy is the racists are proud of their disease.
from: John
Posted on: Jun 2, 2012 at 16:15 IST

Forget muslims, Even Maharashtrians are not allowed in some societies because they cook non-veg food and some pure vegetarian communities dont like them, Bengali brothers also find it difficult because some society secretaries cant stand the smell of fish..These are hard facts.

Dont make a big fuss about it. Dont blame mumbai for it. Each society is community driven and they decide who can and who cant live in it.We all have to live with it.... And yes, there are muslim dominated buildings where non-muslims are avoided.


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