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Muslim woman alleges she was asked to vacate Mumbai flat because of her religion
A 25-year-old woman, Misbah Qadri, has alleged that she was asked to vacate a flat in Mumbai because she is a Muslim, reports said on Wednesday.
A 25-year-old woman in Mumbai has alleged that she was asked to vacate a flat because she is a Muslim, reports said on Wednesday.
Misbah Quadri, who moved into a 3-BHK apartment at Sanghvi Heights in Wadala, was told by the broker that the housing society did not accept Muslim tenants a day before she was to shift, according to the Hindu.
Her flatmates — two working women — had found her on Facebook.
"I have been in Mumbai for 5 and a half years. This is not the first time I have faced this issue. Sometimes brokers did not even show me houses. But this time, I was asked to leave the house within a week because I am a Muslim," Quadri told ANI.
"I told the broker that if he wants, some living conditions can be laid down - like what I cannot cook in the house," she said.
The broker also asked her to sign a "no-objection certificate" saying that if she faced any harassment from her neighbours because of her religion, the builder, the owner and the broker "would not be legally responsible".
"The broker asked for the NOC saying that I cannot hold anyone responsible in case I face harassment for being a Muslim in the building."
She was also asked to submit her resume.
Video-Woman alleges being denied flat for being Muslim: 'Ashamed to call myself Indian'
Quadri moved in even though she did not agree with the terms because the notice period at her previous flat expired and her flatmates supported her and she hoped things would be fine later.
The agent contacted her again within a week.
"He threatened to call the cops and throw me out of the flat. It got very ugly," Quadri was quoted by the Hindu as saying.
When she approached the builder's representative, she was told that it was "a policy" of the company not to have Muslim tenants. She was then served an ultimatum to vacate the house and was forced to leave. Her flatmates too had to vacate the house.
Society supervisor Rajesh told ANI that they do allow Muslims to live in their flats and said that the broker should be questioned on the issue.
"The broker should be asked about the matter. The problem seems to be between the girl and the broker. I do not have any idea about this," he said.
Quadri has also approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) after she was thrown out of the apartment.
Last week, a 22-year-old MBA graduate was denied employment by a Mumbai diamond export firm which said it hired only "non-Muslim candidates".
Zeshan Ali Khan posted the rejection email by Hari Krishna Exports Private Limited on the social media.
Following widespread condemnation, the company said it "deeply regretted" the incident clarifying that it "does not discriminate against candidates based on gender, caste, religion, etc" and blamed it on an "error" by a human resources trainee.
Khan later approached the police and filed a case against the firm.
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