By Kashif-ul-Huda,TwoCircles.net
Mumbai: a leading property website 99acres.com has done nothing to prevent practice of housing discrimination against Muslims. The website has allowed advertisements to appear on its website that openly discriminates against Muslims.
The latest advertisement is about a residential apartment for sale in Dadar clearly statesthe apartment building has “no muslims.”
The discrimination against Muslims in getting houses in metro cities is well documented but this is the first time that an advertisement makes absence of Muslims a feature for the property.
The advertisement was first posted on Oct 27, 2013 on the 99acres.com, a popular real estate website, by Visha D’Souza of Jacinta Real Estate based in Wadala, Mumbai. The advertisement seems to have been modified on Nov 2nd but not before people noticing the offensive text. A cached version of the advertisement is available here. A quick search on the website reveals many ads that clearly states “no Muslim allowed.”
Offensive ad that clearly states “no Muslims”
Shehzad Poonawalla, a lawyer and founder of #AIMA2014 (All India Muslim Agenda 2014), a social media initiative for setting Muslim agenda for Lok Sabha election 2014, has filed complaints with the National Commission for Minorities(NCM) regarding this advertisement.
“ Not only is the said ad discriminatory and reflective of an unethical standard of business, but it runs contrary to every secular fibre, imbibed into the collective conscience of our nation, by no less a document than the Indian Constitution, whose core, fundamental value remains the celebration of our diversity and plurality. Ironically, the said ad promises a “cosmopolitan” society but excludes Muslims from seeking residence therein. How can the ad be cosmopolitan and exclusivist in the same breath is the question that baffles this petitioner,” wrote Poonawalla to NCM.
Poonawalla has asked the NCM to censure property broker and the website for indulging in discrimination. He also requested NCM to frame guidelines in consultation of realtors, regulators, and civil society to prevent this kind of discrimination against any community especially Muslims.
Another ad on 99acres.com that clearly states “no Muslim is allowed.”
The website 99acres.com has several ads that specifically says “only Muslims allowed” which is equally discriminatory. A search on their website revealed 88 past and active ads with the term “only Muslims” in them. However, search for “no Muslims” resulted in 774 hits. There are 1470 ads when one searches for “only Hindu” on the same website.
Info Edge India Ltd., the parent company of 99acres.com could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile social media is abuzz with this story and the outrage over it:
Update
TCN Impact: 99acres to put checks for discriminatory ads