‘Exclusive society’: Posters in UP colony urge Hindus not to sell homes to ‘others’

Bareilly: Declaring their residential colony as “exclusive Hindu Sanatani society”, residents of Shriram Society in Lajpat Nagar area of Moradabad have put up posters outside their homes urging people from the majority community not to sell their properties to “others”, warning them from settling there.A large signboard reading “Hindu Society” has also been erected at the main entrance of the residential complex which houses several upscale blocks.Justifying their decision, Surabhi Agrawal, a resident, said, “We want that a member of another community should not disrupt our religious sentiments. It will be good that no Muslim should buy a home here.”Neeraj Agarwal, also a local resident, added the poster drive became a necessity. He alleged that a majority of homes in nearby areas were already purchased by members of the minority community. “Muslims should not buy a home in our complex. This poster has been put up. It is for the security of the society.”Moreover, local residents cited the presence of Ram temple in the society’s park, where daily prayers and ‘aarti’ are held. They expressed apprehension that “outsiders could disrupt these religious activities”.Meanwhile, SP, (Moradabad city) Kumar Ranvijay Singh, told TOI, “No one has approached us with a formal complaint. We came to know about it through the media. Action will be taken only after receiving an official complaint.”Recently, UP police, on a complaint by an NHAI employee, had registered an FIR against unidentified members of a right-wing group for allegedly writing on a sound barrier of an elevated stretch of Delhi-Dehradun Expressway near Biharigarh in Saharanpur that the “road is not for Muslims”, sparking outrage.