Muslim family faces threats after buying house in UP’s predominantly Hindu area
Lucknow: In a blatant display of anti-Muslim discrimination, Hindutva activists in Gaushala Pashmi, a predominantly Hindu locality in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district, have opposed the purchase of a house by a Muslim family, threatening them to vacate or face dire consequences.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Hindutva activists labeled the purchase as “house jihad,” a term used in Islamophobic narratives to falsely allege deliberate attempts by Muslims to settle in Hindu-majority areas.
Ali Hasan, who recently bought the property, told the media that groups of Hindutva activists have been visiting his home and pressuring his family to leave. “In the recent past, on several occasions, a group ranging from four to five known individuals and 15 to 20 unknown persons came to my house and forcefully asked us to leave and threatened us with dire consequences,” he said.
The Hindutva activists reportedly told Hasan that Muslims were not needed in the Hindu locality and organised demonstrations, while posters announcing continuous meetings were also put up to mobilise residents and build pressure against the family’s presence.
Both sides have filed complaints at the Kotwali police station, but no action have been taken so far.
The opposition Congress condemned the incident, saying Hindutva elements are being emboldened under the Uttar Pradesh government. “An organised pattern is at play across U.P. to disturb communal harmony and terrorize minorities. This incident of harassing a Muslim family for buying property in a Hindu-dominated colony is just the latest example,” said senior U.P. Congress leader Anil Yadav. The party announced it would send a delegation to support the affected family.
Housing-related communal tensions are not new in Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring districts, where protests by Hindutva groups have led to pressure on Muslim property buyers. In 2024, a Muslim buyer in Muzaffarnagar reportedly sold his property after facing similar opposition, while in December 2024, protests erupted in Moradabad’s Hindu-majority TDI Society after a house was sold to a Muslim doctor.
