Tension grips people as Muslim and Hindu developers join hands to build homes in Ahmedabad

There has been a brooding sense of discomfort in Ahmedabad's Vejalpur area, an area often referred to as the ‘border’ as it’s the last Hindu area in western part of the city before a sprawling minority area called Juhapura starts.

Juhapura, an area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad came up post 2002 riots, when the displaced Muslims moved to the area for safety. Over the years, more Muslims have moved here trying to find safety in numbers. Today, Juhapura is one of the largest Muslim ghettos in the country with a population of over five lakh.

Also read | No riots in Gujarat post 2002, claims Modi; govt data begs to disagree

The segregation between the areas is so stark that no Muslim lives, works or does any kind business in Vejalpur that is populated by around four lakh Hindus, primarily Dalits. While no Hindus cross the ‘border’ to Juhapura. In fact, over the years, the demarcation has been intensified with both areas being under the Gujarat Prohibition of Transfer of Immovable Property and Provision for Protection of Tenants from Eviction from Premises in Disturbed Areas Act, which is popularly known as the Disturbed Areas Act.

The Act forbids any Muslim from buying or renting property in the Hindu dominated area and Hindus from buying or renting in the Muslim dominated part. Any real estate transaction in the areas under the Disturbed Area Act has to be approved by the District Collector first.

However, to the surprise of residents of the area, a huge billboard came up earlier this month at the crossroad demarcating Vejalpur and Juhapura declaring that Bakeri Group, one of the oldest and biggest real estate developers, is collaborating with a Muslim developer for a residential society.

Also read | In Gandhi’s ‘dry’ Gujarat, alcohol's the root cause of liver failure deaths

Since then the project has become a matter of concern amongst many in Vejalpur area.

“This is shocking and problematic. I bought my property in this area because it is a rapidly developing Hindu area. It is not good for us that another community is also coming in this area. It beats the whole purpose of buying a house here. Besides, it might also impact the valuation of our flats,” says Sanjivbhai Varmecha, a banker who lives in a residential society in Vejalpur.

“In my society, only Jains have been allowed to buy flats. It is better because our culture, food habits etc are the same. Today, they are building a Muslim society near us, tomorrow there will be non-vegetarian food stalls near our houses as well,” says Varmecha, who saw the poster during his morning walk and immediately informed his society committee to act against such projects.

Noticeably, many societies of Makarba, an extension Vejalpur, have called internal meetings after the poster came up declaring the project. On March 23 this year, the committee members of Anahataa and Antaara, the two residential societies that are closest to the site of the new project, submitted an application to the District Collector expressing concern over their own safety.

Also read | Gujarati bears the brunt

“For the Bakeri Group, it might be business, but it is surprising that the local government and state administration allowed it. This poses major safety concerns for us in Vejalpur and Makarba areas,” read the letter.

“This plot belonged to a Hindu land owner and is about 500 metres from our home. It had been lying unused for the longest time. From 2023, Patel Bus Services (an interstate private bus service provider) leased the plot to park their buses. We never got a whiff of when and how the transaction happened. We were told that Bakeri Group has partnered with Al Hama Group to buy the land and will build a residential society with 500 flats for Muslims. If we had known such a transaction was happening we would have objected to it. It might be just business for Bakeri but for us it a safety concern. We have urged members of other societies to unite, talk, and oppose this,” says 45-year-old Dinesh Patel, the chairman of Anahataa residential society where only Patels are allowed to buy flats.

Dinesh Patel, who also have been circulating the message, within his social circle in and around Ahmedabad for ‘raising awareness about the menace’ via WhatsApp says, “Compare the areas where there are Muslims along with Hindus with areas that are exclusively for Hindus. The crime rates are lower in our areas. The Hindu areas are safer and cleaner. We can roam around in this area even at 12 in the night. It won’t be the same if they come to live here,” adds Patel.

Noticeably, this one kilometre area between Vejalpur and Juhapura has mostly been vacant apart from a handful of small two-wheeler repairing shops and a state government building of animal husbandry department. The area that is considered one of the most communally sensitive has three police stations and headquarters of Ahmedabad Rural police and Special Operations Group of Police (SOG).

“There has never been any kind of social or financial transaction between people of Vejalpur and Juhapura. There is always an underlying tension between these two areas. On any occasion, even during a cricket match, heavy police force is deployed to prevent any incident. How is a project like this going to be a success given the deep divide,” Hozefa Ujjani, a minority rights activist tells The Federal.

However, Yusfbhai Mansuri, the owner of Hadi Developers, who owns the Al Hama Group, is confident that the project will be one of a kind.

“There is a huge demand for luxury flats among Muslims, many of whom are willing to shell out anything between ₹1 crore to ₹1.60 crore for three or four bedroom flats in a gated society with multiple amenities. There are only two luxury gated societies for Muslims in Ahmedabad – Al Buruj in Juhapura and Al Hamd in Sarkhej. Both the projects were priced above ₹1 crore and sold out in no time,” Mansuri tells The Federal.

“This project is being built for Muslims and will have multiple towers with 500 three and four bedroom flats in two sizes. We have not declared the prices yet. Some formalities are yet to be completed before we declare the price and are open for sale,” he added.

Noticeably, Muslim brokers of the city feel it will be difficult to sell the project within the community due it close proximity to a Hindu dominated area.

“When a Muslim family buys a property, their first concern is safety that only a Muslim dominated area can offer. No Muslim will risk buying a property near a Hindu dominated area,” says Rafiqbhai Mustqeem, a real estate broker who started an online portal ‘muslimhousing.com’, a platform exclusively for Muslim home buyers or renters.

“It is not the fear of violence only. There are have been multiple cases across Gujarat where Hindu owners have filed cases against Muslim home owners when they attempted to buy property in a Hindu-Muslim mixed locality. In such cases, Muslim home owners are harassed till they eventually move out. Ultimately, these people come to areas like Juhapura,” Mustqeem tells The Federal.

Noticeably, there have been multiple instances where a Muslim and Hindu developers have formed a company in Ahmedabad. One of them is Ahmedabad based Alia Developers owned by Ashokbhai Patel and Abdul Razak Bagban who specialise in building commercial complexes.

“So far, we have built commercial complexes and godowns in Muslim dominated areas like Mirzapur, Naroda Changodar etc. We have never ventured near a Hindu-dominated area. It’s easier to be accepted as a Hindu developer in a Muslim neighbourhood, but a Muslim builder will face issues in Hindu dominated area,” says 70-year-old Patel, who built his business with his Muslim friend.

“This new project has been the talk of the town among the builder community. Bakeri Group is a one of biggest real estate developers so maybe they won’t have to face any issues. But no small builder will take up a project in such an area,” says Abdul Razak Bagban, or Raju Bagban, as he is called.