Apartment association decides not to let or lease flats to Muslims

MANGALORE: While there are customized apartments built for specific communities, here is an apartment which bars the premises to be let out or leased to a particular community - Muslims.
Prasad Apartment Owners Association at Bendorewell here, in its association meeting held six months back, decided to bar all Muslims after facing problems from a Muslim tenant. Suresh Karkada, president of the association, asserted that it was a unanimous decision by the owners. ``Only after that resolution was passed, we put it up on the notice board. This was put up six months. Why the hullabaloo now,’’ he questioned.
``Haneef Mohammed, owner of an apartment on the ground floor was facing problems from tenants, Imthiyaz Ahmed, on the second floor. It was a joint family having more than 15 members. Ahmed’s aged father used to spit sputum outside the window, and it used to fall on cars and sometimes on people. Haneef had fights with them regularly. Haneef raised the issue at the meeting attended by owners. Also, there were some chain smokers in that family and used to throw the butts everywhere,’’ he said justifying the decision and the resolution.
Why target all Muslims for one tenant’s fault? Could not the owners be asked to scrutinize the tenants while renting their premises? Karkada says: Owners are only interested how much money they get. We, who live here, are the sufferers of errant tenants. You should have lived here when the tenants were there and you would have known the problem we faced.’’ ``We have never discriminated against Muslims. Some of them are our best friends. In fact five owners in this complex are Muslims. I have helped many to get Muslim tenants. Unfortunately we had problem with one,’’ he said. When pointed out again why target Muslims, he countered: we don’t allow students, single women as tenants. Will you write about that also? There are many builders who don’t sell to Muslims and some apartments do not allow Muslims to enter inside.
Incidentally the rented out flat belongs to an aged Harold Pinto. ``We went to Pinto regarding this and he agreed with our decision,’’ he said. Pinto could not be contacted.