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Muslim woman, who joined BJP, alleges harassment by landlord
The landlord has denied the allegation, claiming that he was being framed for asking for unpaid dues.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) membership drive to enlist Muslims took an ugly turn in Aligarh with a woman, Gulistana, from the minority community claiming her Muslim landlord threatened to force her out because she had joined the BJP.
The landlord’s son Mohd Salman, 30, a dental technician, was picked up by the police after some women, supported by the BJP workers, filed a complaint alleging that Muslim women were being discriminated against for having joined the BJP.
SSP Aligarh Akash Kulhari said there was a minor dispute between the Muslim landlord and his tenant. He said allegations of one party being harassed for joining a political party were also levelled. “We are looking into all issues,” he said.
Party’s Aligarh MP Satish Gautam and former mayor Shakuntala Bharati also came out in support of Gulistana, warning of action if the reports of such Muslims joining BJP being ostracized by their community were true.
“We will ensure that the woman, who is being threatened out of her rented apartment gets a house under Prime Minister’s housing scheme,” Gautam said.
Gulistana’s friend Ruby Khan approached the police and made a complaint of harassment. The police registered a case after which Salman had to secure bail.
He, however, had a different story to share.
“They haven’t paid their dues for a few months and haven’t settled the electricity bills as well. Nearly ₹16, 000 of which ₹11, 000 are electricity dues were outstanding and we are being framed for asking for it,” Salman said on phone from Aligarh.
Salman said Gulistana was still living in the house. “She is still there despite not paying bills and I had to be bailed out for demanding my rent,” Salman said.
On July 6, the day BJP launched its membership drive, several Muslims women, including Gulistana and Huma, who live as tenants in AD Colony, Bijlighar under Delhi gate police station, joined the party.
“Problem started the day after when pictures of me at the BJP membership campaign were published in newspapers. That’s when our landlord’s family picked up a fight with us and threatened to throw us out. They said either you leave the BJP or leave the house,” said Gulistana, who lives with her husband and daughter in the two-room rented apartment.
The five room set has two other tenants-- Huma, who lives in one room and a third family which lives in two remaining rooms. Salman and his five brothers and three sisters live in an adjoining house.
Gulistana said after she was subjected to harassment, abuse and threats, she contacted her friend Ruby, who is a local office bearer in BJP’s women wing. It was Ruby who had taken Gulistana for the party’s BJP membership drive in the presence of minorities affairs minister Laxminarayan Chaudhary, BJP’s Aligarh MP Satish Gautam and former mayor Shakuntala Bharati.
