Karjat 'Halal Lifestyle' Township Sparks Communal Row; NHRC Seeks State Report, VHP Alleges Attempt To Reestablish Aurangzeb’s Rule

An upcoming residential project near Karjat has sparked a new controversy due to its advertisements offering “halal lifestyle” to the residents. While the national human rights commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to Maharashtra government seeking a report of action taken against it, political parties and right-wing Hindu organisations have called the project divisive and an attempt to reestablish Aurangzeb’s rule.

NHRC Takes Cognizance, Issues Notice

An advertising video of a Neral-based upcoming residential neighbourhood, named Sukoon Empire, went viral on social media for offering halal lifestyle and environment. The advertisement, with a woman in hijab promoting the project as a place offering “authentic community living with like-minded families sharing the same values and kids growing safely in halal environment.” The advertisement video has sparked a row for marketing a residential project in a manner which implies that it is being developed only for the Muslim community.

Complaint Filed by Sahyadri Rights Forum

The video was shared on social media by NHRC member Priyanka Kanoongo on Monday calling it “poison distribution.” However, the commission took cognizance of the issue and issued a notice on Wednesday to the state government’s chief secretary asking for an action taken report based on the inquiry against the allegations. It also directed the authority to submit the provisions under which such permission for the township was granted on the basis of religion and submit a response within two weeks. “The  allegations made in the complaint prima facie seem to be serious violations of the human rights of the victims,” read the notice from NHRC.

Kanoongo said that NHRC received a complaint against the township from the Sahyadri Rights Forum NGO. “If separate settlements are being built for Muslims in India, in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Maharashtra, by creating fear that Muslims cannot live with Hindus and giving them separate settlements, then this clearly reflects the implementation of the principle of nation within the nation. We will not allow this to happen. This is not a matter that will stop here. Today, you are claiming that you want houses where only Muslims live, then one day, you might demand a separate state for Muslims in Maharashtra. This is a serious type of disease,” he said while talking to the media.

Political and Social Reactions

After the issue heated up, social media users are sharing advertisements from other developers marketing their projects targeting only the Muslim community through similar offerings. Right-wing Hindu organisations have also opposed these projects and demanded that such projects should be scrapped.

VHP’s Strong Opposition

Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, called the project a conspiracy to reestablish Aurangzeb's rule through the Halal-based Jihadi society. “In a sovereign nation, such nefarious plots have led to the creation of numerous mini-Pakistans in India itself, from where the kafirs (non-Muslims) were forced to endure persecution and flee. Hindu society and Mother India have suffered many such wounds. Now, they can no longer be tolerated.”