HOUSING APARTHEID The property and real estate sections of free advertisement-only newspapers offer the best insight. Most advertisements titled ‘for vegetarians only’ were from areas such as Jayanagar, Basavangudi and Malleshwaram.
In the last 30 years, his firm has helped thousands of people find properties of their choice. He is one of the biggest names in the highly competitive real estate industry of Bangalore. Fardeen Ahmed (name changed) is equally well known as a philanthropist who has associated himself with several progressive and secular causes. But then, in the summer of 2009, he was rudely reminded that his standing counts for little in a city where landlords hide their prejudice behind a mask of modernity.
Ahmed was renovating his ancestral bungalow in Shivajinagar and wanted to move temporarily to a rented house. He wanted a house in a ‘respectable’ locality that suited his class. But to ‘respectable’ house owners, Ahmed and his family were just meat-eating Muslims. With an army of his own employees and all the financial resources at his command, it took Ahmed several months to find a house on rent that satisfied his sense of status. He is still recovering from his sense of ‘hurt.’
Dalit feminist Ruth Manorama was reminded of her identity less than a year after she was honoured with the Alternative Nobel Prize or Right Livelihood Award. In 2007, Ruth wanted to shift her office from Jayanagar 4th Block to a more spacious building a few metres away.
“It was a large house owned by a seemingly nice, English-speaking, elderly Brahmin couple," she says. But they refused to give her the house on rent. "After the award, I had been featured all over the newspapers and it was well known that I am Dalit and Christian,” she says.
The couple, retired scientists with a son working overseas, explained that they could not rent the house to a non-vegetarian. “I wanted the house for an office. It is not like I wanted to turn it into a Biriyani hotel,” she says, still smarting from the insult.
Dalit poet and Chairman of the Kannada Book Authority Siddalingaiah had a similar experience in upper-caste and class dominated South Bangalore.
“Because of my name, most house owners thought I was a [so-called upper caste] Lingayat. But my dark skin gave them doubts. They felt no shame in asking about my caste and I felt none in telling them that I am Dalit,” he says. The negotiations would quickly end after the house owners discovered his caste.
“For many house owners, we are dog-eaters, prostitutes or drug addicts,” says an office-bearer of the Naga Students’ Union who did not wish to be quoted.
During the ‘Justice for Richard Loitam’ campaign in April, hundreds of students from the North-East took to the streets alleging that Richard was the victim of a hate crime. Several agitators had told The Hindu that they are treated as foreigners in Bangalore. Most complained they could not find a house on rent.
Bangalore’s real-estate industry has several prominent Muslim names. All of them denied the existence of an apartheid-like system when The Hindu spoke to them. None wished to be quoted on the controversial subject.
Seven Raj, the proprietor of the well known Sevenraj Estate Agency, says, “These things are very much there. But as far as possible, I don’t do business with communal-minded people.”
“I don’t have a religion and I don’t ask my clients theirs,” he says.
According to him, the most guarded areas in the city are also those endowed with the best infrastructure. House owners in Jayanagar, Basavangudi, Malleshwaram, Sadashivnagar, Indiranagar, Rajajinagar, Upper Palace Orchards, Koramangala and J.P. Nagar hold some of the worst prejudices, says Seven Raj.
“In these localities, neighbours gang up against an owner who dares to rent his house out to somebody from a lower caste or a minority community,” says M. Paari, a former Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Corporator.
Paari feels that much of the blame for segregation should go to agencies such as the Bangalore Development Authority. “A caste-wise survey of some of the residential layouts formed by the BDA will show that all the prime plots have gone to upper-caste applicants. Dalits and Muslims get allotments only in EWS (Economically Weaker Section) colonies,” he says.
Paari’s claims of segregation are borne out by a study conducted by the NGO Jana Sahayog in 2004-05 titled ‘Anthropological Study of Slums in Bangalore.’ Isaac Arul Selva says, “Eighty-five per cent of Kannada-speaking slum residents were from the so-called untouchable communities. Sixty-five per cent of non-Kannada speaking residents were from communities considered untouchable.”
The property and real estate sections of free advertisement-only newspapers offer the best insight. Most advertisements titled ‘for vegetarians only’ were from areas such as Jayanagar, Basavangudi and Malleshwaram.
The true meaning of ‘vegetarian only’ emerged when this reporter contacted some of these owners. “This is a Brahmin layout. We do not want any SC/STs,” said a woman before slamming the phone. “No Kashmiri Muslims. Other Muslims are ok,” said one owner from HRBR Layout. Another owner from HSR Layout said, “We don’t mind Muslims but we want only clean Muslims.”
Lawyer Byatha N. Jagdeesha says, “Vegetarian only is just the code to say Brahmins only. If they put out what they actually mean, they can be booked under the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.”
Keywords: Sunday Story, Bangalore housing, Muslims housing, Muslims accommodation, social discrimination, Bangalore real estate
I firmly believe that If India is planning to become a superpower,
then it will surely have to shed its Hypocrisy. All the people who
have commented above a surprisingly narrow outlook. Hindu has done a
very good job in showing us the mirror. We tend to talk a lot, boast a
lot, but when it comes to taking a step towards a sincere effort in
having a non prejudiced outlook towards people, we fail miserably. Sad
but true. Plainly speaking, biased people tend to wrap casteism in a
"Vegetarian" wrapper. I think Hindu should promote such articles which
bring out our inner weaknesses. But it is upto us to improve our
attitude towards our fellow Indians.
My heartfelt thanks to Thh Hindu for bringing out in the open the
reality that we have all experienced but don't want to talk about in
public. As a muslim, it was humiliating to experience in-your-face
prejudice while hunting for a house. You could see the hatred oozing
as they try to rub it in, which includes the refusal and a triumphant
look. I met an upper caste realtor who made me wait for quite a while
and then rudely told me he couldnt help me because of my religion.
Those supporting the discrimination try to hide behind the veneer of vegeterianism. Believe me, I've seen it closely, and in most cases when it comes to Muslims it is nothing but plain hatred. There are exceptions, of course, usually those belonging to lower caste / classes. In fact, it was after house-hunting in Bangalore that I genuinely realised that cosmpolitan india exists in its downtrodden and lower classes, not in its pretentious upper class/castes. I now hold these sections in very high regard.
Vegetarians abhor meat and find the smells emanating when meat is cooked offence. Thus, people who are vegetarians do not want to have someone cooking meat in the houses they rent out or in the vicinity. This is a personal preference and is not bias. They have a right to do so. I regret that your paper has become very anti Hindu and is publishing aricles that divide people on caste/religion.
A Vegetarian has right to rent house to a Vegetarian if he or she wants to..where is the question of religious or caste issue coming into picture? There are people who don't like the smell of Fish or Chicken being cooked in their house..are the 'progressive forces' of India now going to force them to accept it?
On the other hand, the author (who is a Bengali non-vegetraian) has no problem is class-system as he wrote this pararaph: "Ahmed was renovating his ancestral bungalow in Shivajinagar and wanted to move temporarily to a rented house. He wanted a house in a ‘respectable’ locality that suited his class"So Ahmed himself is segregating the city into different ghettos..shame.
Funny how some of the comments are defensive. "Vegetarian only" is
positively a code word for Brahmins. There is nothing wrong with that
so long as it stays within the house.
The sad truth is that this attitude of disliking "non-vegetarian" food
extends to the people who eat non-vegetarian food. And sometimes this
attitude manifests in workplace and other public places.
There are few companies in Chennai at least that used to hire
"vegetarians" only.
It is the prerogative of the owner to decide whom he wants as a tenet. Most of the owners are more concerned about having a trouble free tenancy than anything else. Rent spacing is a business where both the seller and buyer both have a choice. if one goes by same vein as in this article, then every loss making consumer product company should seek a compensation for alleged caste based discrimination of their goods and services.
This is one of the many aberrations facing India which all of us are aware of. There are many social issues in which all of us are tied down without any solution at sight,otherwise the nation would have been on top long ago. India's future appears to be bleak for 115 crore population who live on freebees. Let us have basics first in the following two decades like sanitation, water, toilets and one room apartments,education & employment before talking of any other issue. Let us improve our Home-rule qualitatively.
All the above comments should only indicate that Bangaloreans are living in peace & are not really having any problems with anyone's caste or religion. A national daily like Hindu should behave more responsibly & not exaggerate stuff. No non-vegetarians means just that and nothing more. If an owner does not want non-veg being cooked right above or below his/her kitchen then so be it. Thats just because he/she is not comfortable with it. Where did the communal angle come in? And why is Jayanagar & Malleshwaram only being targeted? Aren't posh areas like Frazer town, Cox town, Shivajinagar, JC Nagar & even MG Road, all minority dominated? And no one is complaining about it. We know this is purely due to historical reasons and not as indicated in this article.
Please do not spoil the harmony in the society with exaggerated articles like this.
I would like Sudipto to point to a city that is more cosmopolitan than Bangalore in the south. "Mired in prejudice" is too strong an expression to use for a city which has embraced people from Kutch to Arunachal and Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Xenophobic groups in Bangalore are constantly kept under check and people are able to live a dignified life in this city. Bangalore is probably the only city south of Mumbai in India, where slums of the 80s are today largely transformed into pucca houses. I see people from every state doing work here. I think the headline is nothing short of a canard.
I do not understand the fuss. The owner has full right to rent the
house to whomever they want. If they put too much absurd restrictions
they will end up with no tenants. I changed my house three times in
Bengaluru and helped many friends to get but never faced such things.
For many people vegetarianism is a serious issue. What about the right
of the property owner ? I will personally not like my property to be
used for killing innocent animals merely for food purposes.
I disagree with the Opinion of The Hindu here. I only wish The Hindu had
done a little more analysis into the real reason, why people prefer
"Vegetarians" for renting out.
Its sad to see the such a article from "The Hindu".
Yet another whining job by Sudipto Mondal whose only job is to go and create trouble. I have seen people of all classes live in Malleswaram. In my apartement building I see people of all classes living peacefully. Please do not blow up individual preferences out of proportion. What does he want to say about "reverse" prejudice? I saw a non-vegetarian colleague of mine occupy a flat in Malleswaram and he vacated in a month, citing people not being the "right" kind. When questioned further he said people aren't the kind who like to party, drink or have non vegetarian food and the atmosphere was suffocating. His landlord was living next to his house and gave the house to him very conscious of this fact and no one had any objection to what happens within the four walls of his house. Today mammon rules us all. Pay the rent and do whatever you want.
The Hindu should probably spend more time on finding why there are no
houses available. If you see it from my POV, the houses where there
are restrictions like this are usually much cheaper compared to
general rates in Bangalore and whats wrong in a person looking for a
tenant from their own community? Ofcouse I won't mind when my
neighbour brings me some curd rice or payasam but I will have problems
if its chicken tikka :P ... Being a Veg, and a owner of a house in
Cochin , I don't really care what my tenants cook . But what pisses me
off is that the same 3 BHK which I rent out for 6.5K in cochin and
advance of 3 months, cost upward 15k in Blore with 10 months advance.
Its the problem with the real estate mafia that people are not getting
good place to live. Nothing to do with casteism.
Clearly, the author is fishing in troubled waters. The choice exercised by a person in letting out his house is purely personal. The law does not have a standing here. People who demand that such practises should be curbed will demand tomorrow that a Brahman should marry off his daughter/son to a non-Brahman, otherwise he is casteist and should be brought to book. Religion, food/clothe habits are purely personal. Just as I can't impose my views on them on others, I will refuse to be cowed by someone trying to impose on me his views on such matters.
Hashim, in a company you need not have non-veg section when you open
it. Don't you see in Bangalore upper caste ones eating food with all
types of other people in restaurants? If one has the freedom to eat
vegeterian food then one should have freedom to stay free of the smell
of non-veg foods. Do you know how people feel like vomting when they
forced to smell something which they don't like? Why do you want to
force people to smell the so called aroma of non-veg food cooked by
you? Much over this some too religious upper caste people think their
house becomes non-sacred if non-veg is cooked in their house. Don't you
think they should have the freedom to live as per their beliefs?
I've been in bangalore for last 8 years; originally belong to Assam. In these times, I've changed 4 rent houses and many times helped my friends to find suitable houses. Me or my friends also faced the same problem of "non-vegi"; it does not matter with ur religion or caste; they simply asks whether u r "vegi" or "non-vegi", whether u r family or batchelor, and they hav their preferences; nothing to do someone's religion. I dont remember a single incident when they askd my religion. And I am telling abt all kinds of bangalorean. Whatever the author tried to write here, seems to be too much exaggerating, in terms of communal divide or may be he wants to sensationalize the article. Before writing a column in such a big newspaper, the author should have cheeked some ground realities and they he should have commented on that.
Aim of this article is to get more comments by inciting communal hatred?
I own a company and what if I say I don't want any non-veggies in my
company? will that also sound logical?
How can anyone of you so called pure veggies go for a corporate lunch
with meat-eating foriegners and be comfortable sharing the table? This
is hypocrisy at its best!!!
Well said Shramana.
I am a brahmin, atheist and believe in buddhist & jain principles. I do not mind giving my house on rent to a dalit as long as they are vegetarian. Please remember, my preference is not based on caste/religion but it is just the way I like to live. I feel very confortable with my dalit friend who is a also vegetarian and he sympathises with my choice.
All those who find this article annoying: I suppose that in addition to agreeing that vegetarians are justified in not renting property to non-vegetarians you probably also feel it is rightful and correct - "we were brought up that way" - to arrange your children's marriages to person's known to you to be of the same community (caste is a dirty word so let's use the latter) and by this rightful and traditional act perpetuate Caste, errr community, and the extreme hierarchical arrangement of people that it has gone hand in hand with for the past two millenia. If it looks like Caste, smells like Caste, acts like Caste then it is Caste.
I agree, that renting property to individuals who satisfy certain criteria is a matter of personal choice of the owner of the property. What still remains unanswered is that neighbours, apartment associations etc. dictate the terms and conditions. This definitely is representative of segregation.
To counter some of the incidents quoted in the article, I narrate my own experience. I used to live with friends in a rented house, the owner of which - a brahmin - requested us not to cook non-vegatarnian food as the neighbours (again brahmins) did not like the smell emanating from the cooking. However, we were allowed to eat non-veg inside the house (if carried from restaurants).
I am sure that segregation of this sort exists but the feeling is that it is changing. The practice must have been followed with more rigour 20 years back.
It is very frightening to read the comments which endorse the stand of not renting people of other castes. There is no difference between educated and uneducated. I am worried, How as a Nation we will move foward?
You know what, I agree that caste/religion discrimination is bad, but seriously, a landlord should have the full right to choose if he/she wants their tennant to be veg or non-veg. I don't know why the so-called intellectuals try to potray eating non-veg as a progressive thing !! Next what - asking temples to open their prasad for non-veg stuff, saying "ooh look, they are discriminating against people who eat non-veg by not offering non-veg prasadam". I am not at all convinced by this report. You have tried to potray the views of people who eat non-veg, but what of the people who have been veg all their lives ?! As far as my experience goes, I have seen how non-veg people (all religions and castes, even some Hindu upper ones) are insensitive to the veg people and I sympathise with those who want only vegetarians as tennants. Having said that, obviously discrimination on other grouds (caste/religion) is deplorable.
Iam a student from S.E.Asian countries and Iam pursuing my studies in Bangalore. I eat every thing and I did not find any difficulty in finding a house for rent. These kind of reporting are misleading and are trying to treat the symptoms rather than disease. Even in world class metros like Singapore , Bangkok and New york muslims face the same situation. Even in Dubai &Riyadh people from pakistan are view with suspicion. The treatment meted out at airport is well known. The world treats you as you behave.
Birds of a feather flock together.. so what to do..
Being an indian in canada, I see some neighorhoods where they dont welcome any colored people..so you have an option..try to fit into an area where you are not welcome or find an area where you are one among many. Here when they rent out they use the term "No cooking of spicy food" and the reason might be the carpet might get the strong flavors of our curry smell. There are strict laws here too but people move on as none have time for all this legal crap.
Basically if you try to rent a house in a enclave with a strong flavor of something(ethnicity, language, race, catse, religion etc..) be prepared to be refused a house..This applies to every place in the world..not just to banglore or mumbai..
The comments are indeed most amusing. I'm 27 and before reading this article I had absolutely no idea that such a prejudice existed! The people who're defending their "Vegetarianism" must understand that the article is not creating but revealing a rift.
The article has brought out a very clear and present prejudice that's made its presence known in the comments that have followed this article. So what if a person eats meat? Isn't plant-life, life(pardon the reductio ad absurdum)?
I am a Christian and a "Vegetarian Only", I don't(or ever have) smoke or drink alcohol. After reading this article, I don't think any of the people here will give me a house on rent.
Interestingly, I'll Quote Christ:
"There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. ... For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts..." Mark 7:15,21
I am afraid, the article is based on poor research, and the data you have do not
support singling out the Brahmins as the culprits. What percentage of Vokkaligas
or Veershaivas are willing to rent out houses to beef-eating Muslims or Christians?
I was born a Brahmin, and but now as an atheist, I see hypocrites in all religions
and castes.
I have a strong preference for vegetarian food but I do eat beef or pork when I feel
like it. It is purely a personal choice. Do you believe the Vokkaligas, the
Veershaivas, the Reddys and a whole host of Hindus will rent me home if I
proclaim my right to cook and eat beef, even though I have a Brahmin name,
accent and demeanor ? Please give me a list of Muslim landlords in Bengaluru who
would not mind my preparing my favorite ham sandwich or bratwurst in my
kitchen. Sloppy journalism only incites, and unfairly targets certain groups and
excludes others for the fear of political incorrectness. I expect much better
journalism from The Hindu.
I agree with most of the comments here. I come from a family that is strictly vegetarian. For that matter, we don't even eat cakes or Snickers! Considering this situation, how can I let someone who cooks meat inside my kitchen and home for rent? My opinion (or "prejudice" if you want to put it in that way)is that I do not want the lifeless carcass of animals inside my house, a house that I paid for with my own money. I have the right to choose whom to let inside my home. You may term it as prejudice, but I will call it democracy!
A very shallow article and I see as a part of series of articles that
started with Mumbai focussing on lack of housing opportunities for
muslims, dalits being included as an after-thought.
As the other readers have mentioned so categorically and unequivocally, the wishes and the rights of the house-owners cannot be trampled under the grounds of being "non-secular". It is well-known that bachelors or single woman don't get houses or apartments on rent
easily but there is not even a mention of that in the article.
So if you are taking up the cause of those who are denied apartments
on rent, be holistic.
I would like to commend 'The Hindu' for bringing this important subject to readers attention. Many of the comments here seem to suggest this does not exist or not that important to report about. I disagree on both counts, for the simple reason that development and sustainabilty of any country is largely dependent on citizens living together with peace and goodwill with each other. One just have to look around to see how nature is endowed with diversity in every living object. This diversity is the cornerstone of the Universe and must be respected only then the bounties of nature will become available to all. It is good that nature has not endowed man with control over sunshine, air, water, night, day and various fruits and vegetables which the earth grows. Mankind would have fought over it claiming exclusive use for himself and those with him. Finally, many of the comments here show Intellectual, Moral and Sprititual degradation at best or complete bankruptcy at best.
Mr. Mani Iyer's comment is deeply illuminating.
We must pause, and think more deeply about many
intriguing question thrown up by the article of
Mr. Sudipta Mondal. Thanks for placing a mirror
in front us.
Applying the South Park model:
1. Because of their religious and castesit beliefs, parents teach their kids to despise the smell or even the thought of non-veg dishes. 2. Kids grow up and own houses, don a smug countenance saying "We don't eat animals because that is how we were brought up" 3. Hindu publishes an article pointing out the sillinies of it. 4. The grown up kids get all angry posting comments like "it is not due to religious beliefs or because I'm a casteist".
5. After sucessfully posting comments, they get to continue the glorious tradition of segragation in India. 6. ???
7. Profit!!! Caste and religious purity maintained!
Housing discrimination is a real problem in many areas and among many communities. We need reforms to address this problem. But, I think framing this issue as a matter of vegetarianism vs. non-vegetarianism is the wrong approach.
As a Jain, my religion teaches me to minimize the harm that I commit to other living beings. We are taught that life is sacred and we should do our best to protect and care for it. Vegetarianism is a central part of our lives and our ethical practice.
I don't mind if other people disagree with our beliefs. But, I feel it would be immoral for me to allow animals to be eaten or harmed in my house. I will not condone or allow harm to living beings that can feel pain and suffer. Others can act as they wish.
India wants to be in the UN security council and wants to be a super power. It is
good ambition. First all make rules and eradicate descrimination against religion
and caste. You dot have invent the wheel look at countries like Singapore, USA and
Australia for tenancy laws.
As a non vegetarian, I myself experienced such a preferential
treatment when I was looking for house in Jayanagar. People are not
ready to accept the reality but it exists in forms much more
revealing than said in this article.
The constitutional rights that enable these brahmins to enjoy rent
from their property cannot utilize private preferences that violate
other constitutional provisions prescribing non-discrimination and
cultural tolerance in citizen-to-citizen interactions. Your right to
vegan hygiene only apply to the to the property you are staying in and cannot be carried out to the property you plan to rent out. In other words, there is no constitutional interpretation that lets you enjoy rental income by selectively tending to specific castes or cultures and at the same time rejecting other castes and cultures whose food or cultural habits are protected by constitutional rights.
As a ethical vegetarian, I like to respect the rights of all sentient beings, humans and non-humans alike. I live with the principle of "Live and let live". When I see meat, I feel the pain of the helpless animal who had to spend most of its life in the human captivity and then had to die to satisfy the want of a human being.
With more and more people eating meat, I would like to keep my home a little peaceful sacred place with love and respect for all beings.
I would deny renting my home to meat eating Brahmins and others alike.
This article is sheer rubbish! . I have always had a great opinion about the impartial and "sensible" journalism that "The Hindu" had within.
Now this is insensible. Having been a tenant and also a house owner, I can tell you this. There is nothing wrong in house owners preferring to rent their house to "Vegetarians" only. It is just their preference to not have the non-vegetarian remains/ smell of Non-veg food in their property. Please do NOT stick a communal view to it !
Avoiding a certain community of people just because of "their beliefs and caste" is WRONG.But that is not the maximum case as you portrayed in this article.Please convey the message that "Caste ism" is wrong ! but do NOT use the veg-Non-Veg issue as a cover for the message !
What the comments reveal is how intolerant vegetarians are! Furthermore, the idea that vegetarians are 'clean' is laughable. India, with its high percentage of vegetarians, is one of the dirtiest and most unhygenic countries in the world, not to mention its population is among the most malnourished and unhealthy. And we all know 'educated' vegetarians with unhygenic habits. Choosing a vegetarian diet for health reasons is logical, but using it as a reason to discriminate is abhorrent. Indian-style vegetarianism really needs to be examined for the intolerance it promotes. Look forward to a follow up article from The Hindu on that.
To those of who, who are against renting to 'non-vegetarians', my
questions are: (a) Do you eat out (b) Do you eat only in restaurants
that serve ONLY vegetarian food (c) Do you eat in restaurants that
serve ONLY vegetarian food that are cooked by cooks/chefs who are
themselves PURELY VEGETARIAN (and served by those who are purely
vegetarians)?
If you eat out (as I'm sure most of these contributors do), and if you
eat in places that also serve non-vegetarian food (even if you eat
vegetarian food), rest assured your vegetarian food is being served in
plates that had non-veg. food served at some point. Be also sure that
cooks may or may not be vegetarians and so also the servers. Which
means you're indirectly or directly being 'tainted'. All of this
points to the typical stigmatization and hypocrisy of most of you. You
discriminate because you're prejudiced. Period. Before you flame me, I
am supposed to be a Brahmin by birth (and non-believer of this
nonsense) and by choice an atheist.
The comments here make me nauseous. On one hand, they attack this
series of articles by The Hindu as being biased. On the other hand,
some people here defend their preferences - and reinforce these articles on this paper - by saying it's their personal preferences.
Well, of course, it is their personal preferences. The only problem is that, these personal preferences these people are so strongly defending clearly arise from their religious/casteist/cultural chauvinism. Don't they see how backward these comments show them to be? Sad to see that so many people in Bangalore - the so-called high-
tech capital of India - are so backward minded.
If I had a place in Bangalore, I guess I would insist that only people with a minimum IQ of 80 should be allowed to stay there. That should surely exclude all those who have posted comments
here!
This article is partial, and completly ignored the sentiments of
Vergiterianism. Which mostly has origins in non-violence, which is a
novel idea originated in India. Everyone appreciates non-violence not
violence.
Article hurt my sentiment by trying to quote Lingayat as[so-called upper caste], I neither identify myself an upper caste or as lower caste, i just try to be true to values we believe in.
Allow me to throw in a little levity to lighten up the discussion here!
In the IIT Madras hostel mess halls one side is vegetarian and the other side, nonvegetarian.
A new student (a vegetarian), when asked for his preference answered (mixing Tamil & English): "Naan vegetarian." He was almost sent to the wrong side!
The entire article is soaked in deep prejudice. Painting everything with
caste, discrimination, saffronisation or brahminical has become an
obsession with the media. Please understand that very few can buy into
your arguments. The world still has lot of sensible people.
Housing is an acute problem in every metropolitan city of India. There are slums in every big city. Without addressing the problem of lack of housing in general, jumping to conclusions is absurd.
These house owners should remember that many different people may have
different view of what is clean and not. There are people who feel
that people who clean our bottoms with their bare hands rather than
tissues are unclean. There are still whites who consider people
without white skin and blue eyes not clean. There are some religious
people out there who go to the extent of believing people who have
different religions and views from theirs as unclean. Yes its their
right to have those view but they too have such views only cause of
their upbringing.
When the above home owners meet such people do remember that they
should not complain of biasness or discrimination.
Many years ago, I remarked to a friend that Delhi is like a large village while Mumbai is a city. The reason for my remark was the generally found narrow-mindedness of people in factoring caste, community, religion etc in their assessment of people. After all these years, I have come to the realization that it's not just Delhi, but India is like a large village. Given these comments we are by no means the largest democracy in the world.
Going by the way most people justify their stance, I will retort that I would only sit beside people who dress in sarees or I would get out of home only when it sunny because that's my culture and that's how I have been brought up. What this leads to, is it deprives us and our children the benefit of experiences. Experiences that help us become better people.
Do vegetarians look at the ingredients in toothpaste, jelly, shoes etc. and realize it is made from animal products. We all need to grow up a little bit.
I take strong exception to the definitive connection that has been made, explicitly in some places, and implicitly in the rest, of this article, between specification of "vegetarians only" and exclusion of non-Brahmin Hindus, Muslims and Christians. The insinuation that it INVARIABLY constitutes "prejudice" against fellow human beings is utter nonsense. For many of us, insistence on "no meat on the premises," be it rented as a home or office, is a statement of our non-negotiable opposition to the extreme prejudice against animals that is reflected in killing them to eat their bodies. The author of this article seems to be blissfully ignorant of the vast number of humane human beings of all faiths* (or no faith at all) who abhor the consumption of meat. (*...including scores of Muslims, Christians, Dalits of various faiths...)
"kollAn pulAl maruttAnai kai tUkki ellA uyirum tozhum" - tiruvaLLuvar
When I was a child (I am now 80) no Brahmin was allowed to sell his house to a non-Brahmin but things have changed fast and nowadays even Brahmin eats egg etc. in the same village. In many houses non-Brahmin also live I am a vegetarian but my children married the spouse of their choice and eat all sorts of non-veg. foods. Incidentally I live with one of them and still maintain my vegetarianism.
I dont understand the logic of discriminating among people who can
live in the house that you had built/bought but choose not to live.
Once the owner decides to relinquish his right to stay in the place
for monthly rent or lease whatever the rules of engagement can only be
strictly by rule of law and not 'word-of-mouth'. For all those
supporting 'vegetarianism', I would advise them to first put in their
agreement that the tenant SHOULD/MUST cook only vegetarian food and
then talk. If the person is willing to pay the rent and conform to
the laws of the 'land' (flats may have their own rules/regulations), I
dont see any reason why religion should be a discriminating factor.
That it is so, is the sad truth. I am curious whether owners view
'drinking' and 'non-vegetarianism' in the same light!
This article is complete rubbish. I am myself a "high cast brahmin", but I am also
bengali, and as is well know, bong brahmins eat meat - so I have the same
difficulty renting houses in Bangalore & Chennai as "Christians, Muslims & Dalits"
- "veg only" means exactly that - "veg only". Don't create more hatred &
suspicions in this country than already exist. And btw., I have complete sympathy
for the "veg only" guys - for almost 4 years I had converted to vegetarianism & in
that period I found the non-veg crowd unbearable. So I can sympathizes with the
feelings of life-long vegetarians, even though I have now slipped back to being a
(very guilty) meat eater.
It is a simple equation - my house my rules (I know laws exist but as long as I am within the laws there should be no problem).
Me and my wife are flexible vegetarians (i.e. we can share a table with non-vegetarians), my parents are strict vegetarians (i.e. they eat at home or when traveling, in "pure vegetarian" restaurants).
I buy/build a house or apartment with the idea of living there someday, even if it is an "investment property" today. I want my family to feel comfortable where they live. I dont want them to spend their time imagining a dead chicken lying on the same counter top albeit 2 years ago.
So yes... vegetarians only in my house. Now think about Indians who have no qualms about a few white lies as long as nobody gets hurt (its not genetic but that is how life in India moulds people). If I want to increase the probability of ensuring a vegetarian household I choose someone like me. I could go to a Vegan Support Group or get a Brahmin.Racism, definitely not!
Hindu, I am a Vegetarian for the past one year and have been an Non Vegetarian before
that.. Nowadays, i do not like cooking Non Veg food at my home, So obviously, when i
am looking to share a room or rent a house, i would prefer to rent it to Vegetarians..
I feel, we need to respect this point of view of Brahmins or Lingayats who Generally are
Vegetarians..
I also have Brahmin friends in Bangalore Malleshwaram, They did not discriminate me
when i was a non vegetarian.
Why shouldn't a home owner be allowed to rent their home to vegetarians
only? I am a vegetarian and I have a problem with non-veg food being
cooked in my house, independent of the caste of the person cooking it.
It is a legitimate desire on my part to have my house inhabited by
someone who shares my food habits. The fact that some castes and
religions are pre-dominantly non-vegetarian, is just a coincidence, and
not a criterion for my choice. I am sure several others feel the same
way, too.
The comments are more revealing than the the article itself. How deeply
ingrained our social prejudices are! We even refuse to see them as
prejudices.
Every owner has a right to choose their tenant. If the question asked is about the culture then no one has any issue, but if it merely reflects religion/cast ? Then such owners needs to be Penalized/brought to justice. I know many muslims who are Vegetarians and many Brahmins who are alcoholic/unhygenic/non vegeterians.
Why not book these people under IPC & SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by recording their conversations ?
After a couple of bookings this is bound to reduce.
The article is full of prejudice. Not giving a home for rent who is
non-veg is not discrimination based on caste. It's only cultural and
food habit difference. I, myself being a dalit never touch non-veg
and hence I have apprehension to rent my room to non-veg. Even in
case of living with Brahman friends who eats non-veg I can't allow to
cook it at my home.
The writer must start his story in well cause and not about anything.
The movement against discrimination should go in right direction. Vegetarianism should be promoted and not reverse. It is
discrimination if someone who is non-veg don't allow to eat that with
you, but it is not his right that we should eat and cook with them.
Oh, stop whining. I am one of those "kannada speaking brahmins" and I will ask YOU a question. Have you ever tried to see this from the perspective of your "villainous upper caste person"? You haven't, so I will tell you. Now listen up.
I have been brought up with certain practices which, after those long years of upbringing, are now ingrained into my character. I see non-veg food as unclean, and I feel uncomfortable with it. I will not go anywhere near it and will not let anybody bring non-veg food into my house. My food habit has been a part of my life since I was born. My dislike of non-veg has NOTHING to do with my religious beliefs. Many of my good friends are non-veg.
Now if I have to let my house on rent, I am particular that the tenant should not cook or consume non-veg food in my house. Will renting it out to a christian or muslim or, as you say, "dalit", give me that assurance? NO. So I won't rent it out to anybody other than a vegetarian.
So grow up and see the other POV.
What rubbish.. I know these kind of reports gets publicity by talking rubbish soo called yellow jouralism and best ignored.. I am a house owner is bangalore don't I have right to give my house to one whom I am more comfortable with..Where does dalit or muslim issue comes in.Hindu is dying newspaper and hope it dies soon from always invoking foolish sense of victimhood.. and plz provide us info on how many muslims and dalits are working for ur own organisation...I always stand for educated people be it muslim,dalit or otherwise. Instead of talking about core issue you get in this propoganda..hindu plz stop printing..:)
What has happened to Hindu? Where has its impartial reporting gone? They are trying to widen the communal divide nowadays. They are twisting the veg vs. non-veg issue and giving it a communal and casteist colour.
Come on. Don't stoop to such a low level to increase your circulation. India, as it is, has enough problems. Don't try to add to them.
Please Email the Editor