On Muslimness

In a recent article published in Economic & Political Weekly which is available for reading by clicking here, Ananya Jahanara Kabir has presented an interesting perspective on the issue of burqa, based on her experiences in Bengal (India) in post Babri-demolition India. In the backdrop of broad identity issues, Ananya has underscored the position of that there are various versions of Islams and many colors of Muslims - there cannot be a single benchmark for what constitutes a Muslim. 

On a connected note, todays Hindustan Times (Mumbai Edition) carries a book review of the book "Love in a Headscarf". It appears that this work of fiction also attempts to open portals of thinking, on the points discussed above. (TMV has not read the book)

Housing Discrimination

In this blog on TheLawandOtherThings, Tarunabh Khaitan (Lecturer, Christ Church College, University of Oxford) raises several Constitutional questions concerning the issue of discrimination that arises out of the Supreme Court decision in Zoroastrian Co-operative Housing Society Limited v. District Registrar Co-operative Societies (2005) that allowed housing societies to sell and lease premises to only to persons of a particular community. 

Tarunabh points out that often the qualification prescribed by the housing societies are, for instance worded in terms of dietary preferences, that by its very nature tend to exclude persons of a particular religion. Such an approach may potentially be used to deny housing opportunities to targeted groups that have certain identified preferences / habits.

An article in the Frontline highlights on emergence of 'ghettos' in post-riot Gujarat that make the subjects of discrimination more vulnerable to systematic violence and discrimination.

The House on Gulmohar Avenue by Sameena Mishra: A documentary on the housing discrimination issue albeit from an identity perspective is available here. 

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