For the liberals on denial of housing to Muslims

Since no one in the liberal world understands an argument until it is looked at from the Muslim point of view; let's do that.

This is for those calling for a blanket law that bans discrimination against all kinds of choice in whom one leases to. You know, everyone does it in America no? Which effectively means the Hindus, whether builders doing it surreptitiously or individuals doing it openly, which we all know they do but we are just waiting for Scroll.in to complete their five more case studies to confirm, cannot say: "I won't lease to you because you are a Muslim". This also means the Jains of Ghatkopar cannot say "I won't lease to you because you eat garlic, or fry your smelly Bengali fish every day," no matter how Hindu you are. But those do not fall into the liberal frame of reference ever, so let's pretend Ghatkopar, and Bhuleshwar, and the Jains, piffling community that they are, don't exist. This also means Parsi Colony will now be open to the rest of us to rentals, finally, so yay for that. But that again would be a travesty of minority rights I'm sure in liberalage, so let's pretend all of Parsi Colony's segregational housing policies doesn't exist. We all have Parsi friends yaar. And they're so cool yaar. And so Western man. They play pianos also. Chill maar na. Eat lagan nu custard. No not inside the Parsi Temple. Not allowed there dude. No no no. Anyhoo...

So, where were we. Yes, housing discrimination, which now is increasingly coming to look like the Hindus who don't want beef, or other forms of non-vegetarian food cooked in their privately owned homes.

So let's shift the metaphor a bit.

Haji Mohammed bhai who had two one rooms in one of those soon to be redeveloped tottering buildings in Bhindi Bazaar is hoping to lease one flat when the cluster redevelopment is done. Do you want to tell the devout old fool who has made the pilgrimage to Mecca twice, prays five times a day and has neither consumed liquor or harmed a soul in his life, that he will have to lease it to people who will fry pork sausages and chomp it down with bacon and a beer in his balcony in return for rent, which he would gladly return and keep the kholi locked if he had known this would happen, or shall I?

And let's just pretend that there wouldn't be riots if you went into a Muslim mohalla and started a Goan sausage fry off. Because that's just silly.

Because if you haven't considered telling him, and the several like him that, then what you are effectively calling for is a blanket ban on discrimination. That applies only to the Hindus. The Hindus who would like to stick to their vows of vegetarianism or non garlic food or no beef or whatever else may apply to them and their personal community beliefs.

And unfortunately for you, when the Constitution of India's Article 25 upholds the right to religious freedom it states:

that you "shall have the right to profess, practise and propagate religion".

That "A person has freedom to believe in the religious tenets of any sect or community". And that "The right is not only to entertain such religious beliefs as may be approved by his judgement or conscience but also to exhibit his sentiments in overt acts as are enjoined by his religion".

The overreaching Constitution then went on to enshrine these dagnabit concepts in Personal Laws. Which meant that if the Muslims wanted to follow norms for marriage or divorce or inheritance, they very well could. If the Hindus wanted to marry their cousins, by all means. And if the Parsis want to excommunicate their own for marrying outside their faith, please, hand them the axe.

This religious freedom would include dietary restrictions followed and practiced by several in the process of expressing their faith. (I know, right?). So, if some stupid the Hindu believes not eating Tuesday is going to please Shanidev and give her money or husband of her dreams or preferably both, that's cool. And if the Muslims won't eat for a whole month during the daylight hours which no one understands, that's cool, we don't get it, but we will come to Mohammed Ali Road for the feasting at night with you.

This also means Iyer thaatha with his thayirsaadam just has one request. Please don't cook meat in my home or I will not be able to join my generations of dead ancestors who kept a shendi at office also, and I so badly want to join them for my peace of mind and so I know this is not schizophrenia that makes me imagine them.

Let the damn man be.

All the damn men be. The Haji who wants his vows held. The thaatha who wants to meet his ancestors. The Parsis who stick to their race in beautiful buildings. All of them.

If we wanted everyone to be the same, we would have had Uniform Civil Code and made law, our religion. We haven't. Because our Constitution allows for deep-rooted differences.

Who is stopping us you ask? Good question.