PUNE: Young software engineer Sarfaraz Khan, who has recently shifted to the city, took the social media platform to share his and his family’s woes while searching for a rented accommodation, which was denied to them in a housing society on religious grounds. 

He claimed the owner of the flat in the Sukhwani Gracia Society told him that the society doesn’t allow any Muslims to reside in the society. 

Sarfaraz shared his conversation with the landlord on his Facebook wall which said, “It won’t be wrong to call the society chairman a disgrace to mankind. I was openly told after wasting two days that the society is not allowing Muslim tenants. Who the hell do you think we Muslims are? Are we any different than you? The flat owner had confirmed about getting into a legal agreement with me and later on started beating around the bush when I confronted. And the reason given to me was - Muslims are not allowed to live in the society! Really?

What kind of society are we shaping for the future generation? I feel humiliated and frustrated not because I am denied to rent a property but because of the example our elders are setting for the next generation.”

While speaking to Sakal Times, Khan said, “Since a month I am facing the discrimination when persons from different societies ask my surname and then refuse to lease the property. I kept silent for a long time due to the month of Ramzan but now the situation is unbearable.” Rahul Kumar Singh, a resident and committee member of Sukhwani Gracia Society, said, “We are not aware of any such rules. It is always a personal choice of a person, whom to rent a flat and the society has no issues with it.”