'Builder preferred only Gujarati Marwari buyers': Times of India

Mumbai: Flat buyers and tenants in the city have long known to be discriminated against on the basis of their food preferences and non-vegetarians discreetly kept out of several housing societies, even entire areas. But a 27 year-old businessman was taken aback to learn he couldn't buy a flat as he was a `Maharashtrian'. Vaibhav Rahate tried to book a flat in an upcoming highrise at Malad West earlier this month and was reportedly told the apartments were not for sale to "Maharashtrians, Muslims and other non-vegetarian buyers".

He immediately approached the Malad police who recorded his statement but fai led to take any action for 25 days. On Friday , after Rahate along with city Congress president Sanjay Nirupam demonstrated outside the police station, zonal DCP Vikram Deshmane instructed the Malad cops to conduct an inquiry and file an FIR.

The Shrinathji Group of developers, which is constructing the high-rise, denied any discrimination. When Vaibhav Rahate (27), a used-car dealer, wanted to book a 1-BHK for his sister in the under-construction Celestial Heights on SV Road, he was reportedly turned away as the builder pre ferred only Guj arati and Mar wari buyers.

“At the site office I met a staffer named Varun. He asked me my name and told me to wait outside. Half an hour later, he met me again. I asked him for a brochure. But Varun told me the flats were not for sale to Maharashtrians, Muslims and non-vegetarian buyers. He said the developers preferred only Gujarati and Marwari buyers,“ Rahate told TOI. The incident occurred on May 4. He went to Malad police station, where his statement was recorded. A constable accompanied him back to the construction site. This time Rahate made a video clip of his conversation with Varun. “Varun came with us to the police station and I made another video clip of him apologizing. Later, Varun's superiors met the station in-charge. Once they left, the cops' attitude changed and they wouldn't entertain me for weeks. I had no option but to approach political parties. After other parties failed to help, I met Congress MLA Aslam Shaikh,“ said Rahate. Senior inspector Milind Khetle of Malad police told TOI Rahate had not submitted the videos to them earlier.

“Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city. . However, a new trend has emerged, that of builders and business houses discriminating against people of a particular community or on the basis of their being non-vegetarian.This will destroy the very culture of Mumbai. Police must proactively curb this. While countries like UK have strong anti-racism laws, India too should have a law against discrimination,“ said Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who protested outside the police station with Rahate on Friday .

“We were not comfortable dealing with Rahate due to his approach. The manner in which he spoke made our staff sceptical. We need to develop a rapport with our clients during a transaction. We have sold a flat in the project to a Sindhi buyer and a shop to a Punjabi buyer. Besides, one of the directors of our company is a Maharashtrian,“ said Sagar Bekal, a spokesperson for the Shrinathji group of developers.