It was only a year ago that I commented about Shabana Azmi’s ridiculous sounding claims that muslim actors in Bollywood were finding it difficult to own an apartment of their choice in Mumbai. Fast forward one year. And today there is this news about this ridiculous housing society in Mumbai’s swank suburb of Bandra, a cooperative society that is not cooperating with Emraan Hashmi, Bollywood’s famous kissing king.
One of the residents of the society, one Ms Suvarna, had apparently agreed to sell her apartment to Mr. Hashmi, who put down a good faith retainer of Rs 1 lakhs. At about the time the deal between the seller and the buyer was to close, the cooperative society turned uncooperative and refused to hand over a no-objection certificate needed to transfer the ownership.
Admittedly, the housing cooperative societies have their by-laws and constitutions and are perfectly within their rights to allow or deny any transfer of ownership that is deemed improper or unwelcome for various reasons. The problem in this particular case may be that Mr. Hashmi’s lone disqualification could be his faith. Although the society has so far not given any explanations for its disinterest and dislike in allowing a transfer of ownership, it seems quite likely that Emraan Hashmi’s initial instincts about his inability to find a place of his choice, appear right so far.
If that indeed is the case, then it is a shame, a big shame. I am not a personal fan of Emraan Hashmi. I think he is an averagely talented person with average acting abilities, not unlike most other Bollywood actors, who can barely twitch a facial muscle at will. Still, he has made a name for himself, has become popular, for all we know, is a good and upstanding citizen with no crimes against humanity or anything. Good for him, I say. But to be denied access or ownership rights on the basis of one’s faith is a gross violation and just hugely unfair. So I completely empathize with Hashmi on this one, and do believe he has a right to live wherever he wants.
It shouldn’t matter whether Hashmi is a Muslim a Hindu or a Christian or a Sikh. Shouldn’t matter whether someone is an upper caste or a lower caste. Shouldn’t matter when you buy a house or enter a school or a university or are hired for a job. Anybody who even mentions religion or caste or color should be exiled to some faraway island and kept there until the next stone age returns.
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