A 44-year-old Muslim woman employed by a Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Skill Development arm received a dwelling unit in Vadodara Municipal Corporation’s low-income housing at Harni in 2017 under Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana.
However, before moving in with her minor son, objections were raised by 33 residents, citing her religion and potential “threat and nuisance.” She is the only Muslim resident in the 462-unit complex, according to officials.
Vadodara Municipal Commissioner Dilip Rana was unavailable for comment. Deputy Municipal Commissioner Arpit Sagar and Executive Engineer for Affordable Housing Nilesh Kumar Parmar declined to comment on the issue.
The protests started in 2020 when residents contacted the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) regarding the invalidation of a house allotment. Harni police station recorded statements from all parties and closed the complaint. A recent protest on June 10 addressed the same issue.
She said, “I grew up in a mixed neighborhood in Vadodara and my family never believed in the concept of ghettos… I always wanted my son to grow up in an inclusive neighborhood, but my dreams have been shattered as it has been almost six years and there is no solution to the opposition I am facing. My son is now in Class 12 and old enough to understand what is going on. The discrimination will affect him mentally.”
33 signatories filed a complaint with officials in Vadodara, calling for the invalidation of a housing unit allotted to a beneficiary and their relocation to another scheme, citing public interest.
The Motnath Residency Cooperative Housing Services Society Limited’s memorandum claims that assigning house number K204 to a minority beneficiary in March 2019 is disruptive to the peaceful life of 461 families in the Hindu-dominated Harni area.
VMC housing officials stated that government schemes do not segregate applicants based on religion, so the housing draw followed standard norms. An official mentioned that the resolution should involve both parties or legal avenues.