Residents of a society in Vadodara’s Harni area have sparked controversy and protests over the allocation of a flat to a Muslim woman under the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana, as reported by The Indian Express.
The 44-year-old woman, employed with an arm of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Skill Development, was allotted the flat in a low-income group housing complex back in 2017. However, even before she could move in, more than 30 residents of the housing complex raised objections to the district collector and other authorities. They expressed concerns about the allotment to a ‘Muslim’ individual and cited potential “threat and nuisance.”
The woman shared with The Indian Express that protests initially began in 2020 when residents wrote to the chief minister’s office seeking to revoke her allotment. Although the police investigated the matter at the time and closed the complaint, protests resurfaced starting from June 10.
A formal complaint, signed by 33 people, was submitted to the district collector, mayor, VMC commissioner, and Vadodara police commissioner, demanding the cancellation of the flat allotted to the Muslim woman.
In the complaint, it was stated, “The VMC has allotted the house number K204 to one minority beneficiary in March 2019… We believe that Harni area is a Hindu-dominated peaceful area, and there is no settlement of Muslims in the periphery of about four kilometers… It is like setting fire to the peaceful life of 461 families.”
Neighbours of the beneficiary expressed discomfort with having a minority family as their next-door neighbors, citing concerns not just about dietary preferences but also about the overall environment.
On the other hand, the Muslim woman, who currently resides with her son in another part of the city, has voiced her determination not to sell her property due to opposition. She expressed her willingness to pay maintenance dues but highlighted her struggle to get the necessary documentation from the managing committee of the colony.
Sources By Agencies