Once teeming with foreign students, Kondhwa housing societies begin to shut door on them
Once teeming with foreign students, Kondhwa housing societies begin to shut door on them
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Samahir Mubarak, an Irani student of the University of Pune, has her final year exams in less than three weeks. But, instead of preparing for her exams, she has spent the entire month looking for a flat in Kondhwa. All societies are rejecting her because of her nationality.
"My flat agreement is coming to an end and I can't renew it. Even in my society where I lived for three years, there aren't any flats for me," she lamented.
Xenophobia?
Samahir's isn't the only case. Kondhwa that was once a haven for foreign students, is turning phobic towards foreigners, especially for Irani and Sudanese nationals, according to local police and estate consultants.
"Earlier, most Irani nationals would come to live in this area. But in the last couple of months even societies that allowed Irani nationals have refused to let them continue," said Shamita Sarkar, who runs Amruta Real Estate in NIBM road.
Kishor Rao, who runs Check On properties in Kondhwa, said, "Even in existing rented flats, housing societies have started keeping a vigil on Irani students and call the police at the slightest hint of trouble. There have been a few incidents, some real and some made up byu00a0 societies."
Police kept on toes
Officials from the Kondhwa police station said that they get a call at least once in three days from societies against Irani nationals but they are mostly about trivial matters.
"Of late, we have received a lot of calls from a few areas in NIBM and Kondhwa, mostly against Irani nationals. But only once were the students actually creating ruckus," said Ranganath Bhaurao Gayakar, senior police inspector of Kondhwa police station. DCP Jailinder Supekar (Zone 4) said, "There are no such incidents wherein we can say that the complaints against foreign students are on the rise."
Hussein Khan , President of Indian Muslim Front and resident of Kondhwa informed, "Society members get irked by misbehaviour of foreign students who often throw late night parties causing disturbance to residents. So, there are instances when the society members seek intervention of local police in these matters."
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