'Open Caste Discrimination': Housing Society Called Out For Regressive Notice

The society's notice stated that bachelors belonging to different castes are prohibited from renting the flat.

Casteism alert: A housing society in Gujarat banned owners to rent flats to bachelors from different castes. 

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint)

A housing co-operative society in Gujarat is being called out for being discriminatory for banning bachelors hailing from different castes to rent a flat in the society.

In the notice, that's now gone viral on social media, mentioned that the 'flats are only to be rented out to families' and 'not to bachelors from different castes'.

Notice from a housing society banning bachelors from different castes

It further instructed the flat owners to evict the bachelors of different caste living together and threatened police action against them.

It said, "By giving this notice, the instructions is hereby given to flat owner that the girls and boys of different castes staying in their flats should be vacated within thirty days otherwise we will immediately make police complaint and as decided by the committee, the parking, garbage and cleaning facilities provided to them in the society will be stopped with immediate effect."

Sadly, the notice isn't a 'one-of-a-kind' or 'unheard-of' incident, since many societies, all across India, in the name of 'rules', have a strict policy against bachelors. There are also many housing societies where on top of the 'no bachelor' rule, also have casteists and religious discriminatory policies. While they may not be so explicitly mentioned, but these unsaid rules are followed to the T.

So, when the notice was shared on the social media, many people could resonate to the unfortunate incident, and some expressed their frustration and brought the blatant irony in the narrative that 'caste doesn't exist anymore', while others shared their own experiences.

Singer and activist, T M Krishna, wrote, "Year 2023. Caste is no big deal guys"

A user resonated the sentiments and said, "And then they will tell us, 'There is no casteism in India'"

Another user wrote, "There is a new defence for such subtle casteism. Few learned friends said this is not discrimination at all, these are the personal choices of the landlord it seems, because they have put their hard-earned money on homes, so it's their wish to rent it to whomever they want"

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