Misbah Quadri, a low profile small time journalist, who now works with a Public Relations agency, had been living in Kandivali apartment of Mumbai since the time she shifted to the city from Gujarat. Here, I would like to point out that the owner of her previous flat was Hindu. Moreover, she stayed in Mumbai for more than five years at different places and I am sure none of her flat owners were Muslims. Since last five years, no one had any issues with her religion and suddenly she was denied flat for being Muslim? Strange!
As per her statement to media, she recently shifted to Wadala society leaving Kandivali flat, by paying a deposit of Rs. 24,000 through a broker. Quadri found 3-BHK apartment at Sanghvi Heights in Wadala. Her new flatmates were two Hindu working women in their early twenties who found her on Facebook. She stayed in that flat by sharing it with her other mates. No one denied her flat on the basis of her religion; she was very well staying in that flat by paying only deposit but no rent in advance. If at all, she was asked to vacate a flat she should have gone to police station as one month notice is mandatory before asking tenant to vacate the flat. The first remedy was to approach police and file FIR, however one has to inform police station before renting the flat, it seems that police verification was not done in her case. Second is rent agreement which is mandatory everywhere.
She claimed that the broker asked her to sign a “no-objection certificate” declaring that if she faced any harassment from her neighbours because of her religion, the builder and the broker “would not be legally responsible.” That means, the builder and broker both have not denied flat to her. Rather, they cautioned her and wanted to safeguard their stand of giving her flat. Otherwise, tomorrow she would have said builder and broker both didn’t inform her about Hindu neighbours, for every dispute or difference she would have made them responsible later. There is nothing wrong, if someone takes a promissory note to avoid future tensions.
Now, she is staying at a paying guest accommodation in Bandra, which is again owned by a Hindu. Had she ever declared the religion of other owners where she stayed after coming from Gujarat? Playing victim seems to be the norm for the seculars of late. In fact, the tactic works fine in political arena or otherwise. The moment one snarls himself in some mess, the easy way to get out of the situation is by playing victim and hitting headlines by going in media. Getting victimized by the media, the opposition, political rivals, quoted out of context are the few of the many strategies which are classic example of playing victimhood. This stands true for a section of the society who swear and guarantee themselves as from a highly peace loving religion. Misbah Quadri is employee of PR agency, she is very well connected to media and generally these agencies have their paid media supporters too. This could be the reason that she went to media.
Quadri claimed that when she approached the representative of the builder who has an office in the same building, she was told that it was a policy of theirs to not give homes on rent to Muslims. Let’s assume it is true then what is wrong if one has his/her own principles or ideas of whom to rent his property or not. Every individual have their own likings. Don’t the landlords have their fundamental rights to have their own discretion to rent or not to rent a particular person? The country is dangerously getting diverted into prejudiced system of minority appeasements with the help of court on the misinterpreted constitution of India. No court has any jurisdiction on the personal matters which doesn’t involve Government, agencies or properties. Why she did not search the flat in Muslims areas or where Muslims are rented a flat? Nowadays, it’s fashion to bring religion for personal interest.
Many societies and owners have their own preferences, and this has nothing to do with Muslim or non-Muslim. Vegetarians prefer renting out their property to vegetarians. Many Gujaratis, Jains and Brahmins clearly write in newspaper advertisements ‘only Jains/Gujaratis/ so and so. I believe even Muslims prefer to rent out to their own people. This has been the case for ages. Apart from that, bachelors, person of other caste, sub caste, vegetarian, and non-vegetarians even those who are eating onion and garlic, keeping pets are not given house on rent in some areas. Sometimes, those have small kids are denied houses. Then, why so much propaganda on this topic? Just ask anybody from the Muslim majority areas like Malegaon. At many places, there are signboards display and advertisements which mention, “Only Muslims need apply”.
My Muslim driver never used to like Bhajan or chanting played in car. One fine morning, he left the job. Same is the case with Naya Nagar in Mira Road, one of my friend’s family wanted flat on rent, owner agreed to give flat but society objected and said they prefer only Namazis should be rented flat. Ninety nine per cent of residents are Muslims there. Hindu’s too are denied jobs and houses for their religion by others but no Hindu ever played victim or made news out of it. Christians eat pork, so many Muslim employers or house owner refuse them space. No Christian ever played victim. Before making unnecessary noise over Quadri, the broker should be asked about the matter. The problem seems to be between the girl and the broker. This entire episode had other side of the story too.
