Ban builders who deny housing on basis of eating habits: MNS

MUMBAI: Known for targeting migrants from states likes Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has now begun a campaign against vegetarian population of the metropolis, especially against the builders who deny housing facility on the basis of food preferences.

The party has moved a notice of motion with the municipal secretary department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), saying that builders should be banned from denying the selling or renting houses on the grounds of food preferences and their religious beliefs.

"We have received numerous complaints from people saying that they were denied flats by certain builders only because they are non-vegetarians. I have even prepared a case study in this regard.

"We are of the view that this is gross injustice as 99 per cent of the people who are denied flats happen to be Maharashtrians," MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande, told PTI.

He claimed that it is a necessity to pass a law wherein it is mandatory for the builder to ensure that discrimination on the basis of caste or creed is not done while selling or renting properties.

"If the builder flouts norms, all the permissions taken by the builder from BMC will then be revoked," he said.

"When we protest against migrants from other states saying it affects job prospects of the Marathis, people say we are violating their fundamental right to stay and work at a place. Now, when these builders deny flats, are they not snatching away the fundamental rights of people?" Deshpande said.

Incidentally, Congress leader Nitesh Rane too had triggered a controversy last week with remarks against the Gujarati speaking population.

"Wanna take part in Swacha Bharat abhiyan n start from mumbai!! Wanna start cleaning up all the Marathi hating gujjus from there once for all," Rane had said on the micro blogging site Twitter.