Gujarat: VHP protest forces Muslim businessman to sell off his house

A Muslim businessman sold off his house in a Hindu majority locality in the sanatorium area of Bhavnagar city, Gujarat, apparently after protest by the right wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

"A Muslim businessman had purchased a property worth lakhs of rupees in a Hindu-dominated locality in the Sanatorium area of Bhavnagar city, after which the VHP launched an agitation. Agitation programmes like singing of Ram dhuns and Ram bhajans were organised after which the businessman finally sold off his property (house)," VHP's Bhavnagar city president S D Jani told PTI.

A year ago, VHP international president Pravin Togadia had allegedly advised VHP members and other residents of that area to insult Muslims to make them vacate their properties in areas dominated by the majority community.

Jani, who resides in the Meghani Circle area of Bhavnagar claimed that Togadia had stayed at his residence when he made those inflammatory remarks.

"Our people had represented before him (Togadia) that Muslims are buying houses in our areas. So he told them to organise Ram Dhun and Ram Bhajan on loudspeakers in front of the Muslim businessman's house. Our people did that and finally the Muslim businessman sold off his property," Jani claimed.

Bohri Muslim businessman Ali Asghar Zaveri, who deals in scrap refused to make any comments on the issue.

When asked about whether he was forced to sell his house under pressure from religious outfits, he said, he was "busy".

According to Chetan Kamdar of Bhavnagar-based real estate firm 'Bhumit Associates', who purchased the house, they bought it as per market rate and they are not aware about the fact that the Muslim businessman was pressurised by some religious outfits.

"We bought his house for around Rs 55 lakh, which is in accordance with the prevailing market price, while he (Zaveri) had purchased it a year ago for about Rs 44 lakh. We got to know of this property from a city-based broker and so we purchased Zaveri's plot as well as an adjacent plot," Kamdar told PTI.

"We were not aware about any pressure from religious outfits. Both the parties are happy with the deal. So it was done accordingly," Kamdar said.

Also Read: Why Ali Asghar Zaveri is unwelcome in Bhavnagar's Krishna Nagar