Farzana Versey makes an interesting point in the article, 'Ghettoes reserved for Muslims'. She writes that on a househunt she found that every caste group and community was busy creating its own ghetto but it is Muslims who are only termed (or rather accused) as the ghettoised ones.
In Mumbai, it is very tough for a Muslim to find a house in a multi-cultural society because no body is willing to give a house to Muslim on rent (or for purchase either). The situation is similar in most cities of the country and unless a strong movement emerges against this ghettoisation (by any community) and governments take certain measures, it will damage the social fabric of the nation. She writes:
One has heard of instances about how the Malabar Hill-Napeansea road belt (the most prized and pricey areas of Mumbai) are being take over by the Jain-Marwari business families. Old Parsi bungalows are being bought just to ensure that the particular part of the city is left pure for a group of people.
Christians too have begun to form their own buildings, so do Parsis and Gujaratis and Sikhs. But these are not called ghettoes.
Why, then, must Muslim-populated areas be deemed ghettoes?
Read the story
9 comments:
hi,
came here after seeing your comments at retributions. a representative, if disheartening, discussion thread there. this country does seem to be losing a lot of its tolerance.
regds
Rajshekhar Ji....thanks for visiting. Let's keep the dialogue on... and hope for the best.
Please correct the link
The correct link is http://www.countercurrents.org/ind-versey091106.htm
ya...thanks Isha. I have corrected the link.
Using the term ghettos itself portrays a very bleak future. One hopes for a society where what counts is what one has done, not the race of religion. After all in office, it is very rarely that one even bothers to think about what is the religion of one's colleagues; same thing will slowly start to happen in society (my fervent hope)
Hi...
read ur blog... it is sad that we as a nation are becoming more and more suspicious and intolerant of our fellow countrymen
But somewhere... each one of ur posts gives me a hope that somewhere...all is not lost as yet...and there is still some scope of recovery...Amen!
Regards..
Adnan, thanks a ton that you've brought a very good point. Ghettos are natural in multi-ethnic and multi-cultural societies that are not open to other cultures. These qualities does not alone apply to Muslims, but also to any Indian population division - linguistic, religious or caste-wise.
yes. i will be in touch. take care.
shekhar
Post a Comment