Where's secularism, asks Emraan after being denied house

Comments [ 72 ] By India-Forums.com Staff | 31 July 2009 | 1:54pm

'Am I a criminal or a terrorist?' asked an upset Emraan Hashmi Friday. The Bollywood actor alleged he had been denied a house he wanted to buy in the upmarket Pali Hill area of Mumbai because he was Muslim.

The actor, who was not given a no objection certificate (NOC), believes the housing society in Pali Hill was hiding the real reason for its refusal.

'This has political connotations, so they don't want to talk about it openly. Yesterday (Thursday), they told me that I can't <a href= Emraan Hashmi" align="right" hspace="5" vspace="5" />get the NOC. I asked them why aren't you giving me the certificate -- am I a criminal, or a terrorist or have I done anything illegal?' Emraan told reporters here with his uncle and well-known filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt by his side.

'It is strange that they don't tell you on your face that you can't get a house because you are a Muslim. It would have been easier if they would have told me openly. What they told me is that they can't allow me to live there because I am a serial kisser and my presence will have a bad influence on the children staying there.

'Being a celebrity if I'm facing problems in buying a house here, I wonder what kind of problems others would have been facing. All the time we are talking about secularism but with such incidents what secularism are people talking about?' asked the actor.

Emraan said someone suggested to him that he purchase the house in the name of his wife Parveen, who is a Hindu. 'I can do that, but why should I do that?' he asked.

Bhatt said such discrimination was a serious problem plaguing the country.

'Even 62 years after independence, the virus of communalism is alive in an area like Pali Hill, which is known as India's Beverly Hills where stars like Sunil Dutt lived and Dilip Kumar is still living there. It's a serious problem and is the country ready to accept that communalism is still surviving?' he said.

'There are also certain societies in the area that do not give NOCs to non-Hindus,' he said.

Emraan, who featured in films like 'Murder', 'Gangster - A Love Story', wanted to buy a house in Pali Hill so that he could stay close to his parents, but the actor was refused the NOC by Pali Hill's Nibbana Cooperative Society.

He has filed a complaint with the State Minorities' Commission, demanding action against the society members. The society reportedly has mostly Hindus and a couple of Catholic families.

This is not the first time Hashmi has faced such a problem.

'I faced a similar situation in August 2007, when I was looking for a house in the same area; residents and brokers told me I would not be able to get a house because I was a Muslim. But I later managed to get one,' Emraan told a newspaper Thursday.

Earlier Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar had faced problems in getting a house in Juhu and TV actor Aamir Khan filed a litigation after being refused a house in Lokhandwala.

Copyright IANS

User Rating (8 Votes)

Views 9018

Go to top

Dil Bole Hadippa at the Toronto International Film Festival 2009

Good movie needs emotional director: David Dhawan

User Comments

If You are a member of India-forums, Then You can also log in here.

RELATED CELEBRITIES

Emraan Hashmi

(75)

(62)

(34)

(95)

Dilip Kumar

(8)

(2)

(3)

RELATED MOVIES

Murder

Year : 2004

(1)

Gangster - A Love Story

Year : 2006

Page 1 of 8
previous
next
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Date: 8/6/2009 6:53:16 AMSneh-Jiwan
Firstly why did he has to shout about him not getting the apartment when it is his own fault !! He is doing nothing at the moment than crap spreading with his mamu jaan Mahesh Butt who is known to be the trouble maker of mumbai !! He did not even have full documents like a character certificate and may be being a serial kisser people of that colony may be scared of their young girls !! He has made this into a religion bases issue to just get publicity !! Does he know that he is putting a crack between the two communities who are living in Mumbai with love and harmony !! He should also know that sometimes we cannot get the apartments where we like in Mumbai or anywhere in the world !! It does not mean you like a place to live the sure enough to get it !! Stop your crap spreading and tell your mamu as well !! Get some sense into your brain Hashmi the aam janta is the one who has put you where you are today !!
Date: 8/5/2009 1:37:46 AMjagdu
Emran's right
Sout Africa rejected apartheid because of slavery. In India, people still have servants cleaning their toilets, dishes and houses, cleaning clothes, pressing them in every street, cooking for them for nearly nothing. Discrimination exists like nowhere else in the world. Similarly class discrimination. Open air toilets exist for the world to see, but the rich live in expensive societies that ban the likes of Emran. Why the hypocracy? People need to embrace Emran and say sorry, you've been wronged if what has happenned is true.
ttp://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=941252&TPN=42
Date: 8/4/2009 11:00:34 AMloverboy260
i think racism exists in every country UK, US, Australia, India or Pakistan.. this is human nature..

But i agree people (read: actors) should think twice before releasing such statements without knowing the full facts.

one last thing: these so called muslim actors who are famous like SRK, Amir etc.. i so wish they werent muslims because they are a "daagh" on muslims and secondly because of them muslim children/youth may go on the wrong path..
Date: 8/4/2009 6:02:16 AMnisha80
India is a secular country unlike our neighboring countries
Im proud to be an Indian
if anyone thinks India is a racist country
khans wldnt rule bollywood
and Mr.kalam wld never become our President

Emran is just dragging this matter
publicty seaker

jai hind
Date: 8/4/2009 12:32:58 AMdesicrowd
Can't believe how many ppl here are talking abt Indians being racist when they in their own country can't bear anyone from another religion...
Date: 8/2/2009 8:25:54 PMbrainychild92
HOW CHEAP!!! discrimination must be stopped!!!
Date: 8/2/2009 2:53:13 PMRhea256
That is so unfair. Discrimination needs to be put to a stop!
Date: 8/2/2009 11:44:24 AMram92
whatever the reasons r. Its a fact that discrimination is commited by many people on basis of religion, caste, colour etc. And it needs to be stopped!
Date: 8/2/2009 10:47:37 AMxAngelicANGELx
If its true that he didnt get to buy a house in Palli hill coz of he's religion then thats just disgusting.
and Emraan is just Making a Big deal it May Be another Reason
Date: 8/2/2009 9:49:56 AM*sowmya*
Who the hell is he to talk like this..if communalism is the main problem then Mr. Emraan you won't be there where u are today n giving public statements..in India there are so many muslims who are quite successful in their field..then how come communalism comes here?

Emraan is just publicity jerk..its better try to solve your problem & not manipulate the people with wrong statements.idiot..