A Muslim's House-Hunting In India
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
30 May 2025
An IIT Madras Alumnus Has Alleged That He Was Denied Housing In Multiple Bengaluru Neighbourhoods Due To His Religious Identity Because He's A Muslim.
This news isn't an exaggeration because reports indicate that it has become more difficult for Muslims in India to find housing, with some experiencing outright discrimination. And after the Pahalgam massacre, things have become pretty difficult for all the Muslims. While not all landlords are discriminatory, some openly refuse to rent to Muslim families or individuals, often citing religious concerns.
This discrimination can force Muslims into certain areas or "ghettos," limiting their housing choices and potentially exposing them to negative consequences.
(Representative Image)
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Kondhwa locality in Poona is derogatorily called 'Mini Pakistan' as the area is teeming with Muslims. So are Meera Road, Bhiwandi and Mumbra in Bombay/Thane. By the way, Mumbra is often referred to as India's largest Muslim locality. This ghettoisation is rapidly increasing because Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and even Christians refuse to provide accommodation to Muslims. There's a widespread prejudice that these people create nuisance wherever they're. This belief is ingrained because many Muslims, even 'educated' ones, have consolidated it by indulging in fanatic and dubious activities. But all Muslims are not like that. The innocent suffer with the guilty (Gehun Ke Saath Ghun Bhi Piss Jaata Hai ). Not just in Bangalore, even in Gurgaon and Noida, the Muslims working in the IT sector, face the same problem as many housing societies categorically say no to them. Even those who've been living, are evicted without notice. The problem is : Some landlords openly refuse to rent to Muslims, stating their preference for Hindu or Christian tenants. This discrimination is particularly prevalent in larger cities where there's a higher demand for housing and a more competitive market, according to one report from FairPlanet.
While housing discrimination is a significant issue, it's important to recognise that Muslims in India face broader challenges, including discrimination in employment and other areas. While Muslims will quickly call it Islamophobia, refusing accommodation to them (Muslims) has deeper ramifications and they're not the only unfortunate ones. Of late, our society has become too clannish and ghettoised.
Even Hindus and non-vegetarians among them have begun to face discrimination in Jain or vegetarian housing societies because many Jain housing societies don't allow meat-eating Hindus and Sikhs
Even sectarian discrimination, despite belonging to the same faith, is common in housing societies.
One's caste and sect are openly asked by many house owners in Poona, Bombay and Nasik.
We're living in regressive times when not just one's faith but also his/her caste, sect and dietary preferences are much more important.
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-politics/muslim-house-hunting-india/d/135711
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