Heard ‘Shaji? A Muslim, then no house for rent,' felt Jesus on wall pointing to North India: Writer
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The denial of houses on rent due to Muslim identity has been shared by many, particularly in North India and the issue neither new to Kerala, where individuals with Muslim names have also shared similar incidents.
This time it is writer PV Shajikumar, who was mistaken as a Muslim because of the commonality of his name in Kerala, who shared his experience of being abruptly told about an undeclared custom certain people follow in certain parts of the state that denying rented houses to Muslims.
He said he was told no rented houses is available for Muslims when he searched for a house in a housing colony in Kalamassery.
According to Shajikumar's Facebook post, he visited the housing colony accompanied by a friend and a broker. As they approached a single-storey house adorned with a depiction of Jesus Christ, the broker inquired about Shajikumar's name. Upon learning that Shaji instead of his full name Shajikumar, the broker revealed that the owner had explicitly stated that houses would not be given to Muslims.
Perplexed and disheartened by the discriminatory remark, Shajikumar expressed his disappointment with the situation and questioned why someone's religion should determine their eligibility for housing.
He also mentioned that this was not the first time he had encountered such discrimination while searching for a house, but had previously dismissed it as an isolated incident.
Disappointed and hurt, Shajikumar made the decision to leave, stating, "I don't want a home, bro." As he departed, he noticed the image of Jesus Christ on the wall, seemingly conveying a message about the influence of North Indian type discrimination.
PV Shajikumar is an acclaimed Malayalam storyteller and screenwriter, known for his literary achievements, including receiving prestigious awards such as the Kendra Sahitya Akademi's Yuva Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi's Geeta Hiranyan Award.
He has also contributed to the screenplay of notable films such as "Takeoff," "Puthan Paas," "Kanyaka Talkies," and "The Teacher."
This incident highlights the unfortunate reality of housing discrimination based on religion, shedding light on the need for greater social inclusivity and equality in housing opportunities.
