Mumbai: In a U-turn actor Emraan Hashmi, who had alleged that he was denied a flat by a housing society because he was Muslim, said on Monday that there was no discrimination against him.
He also added that the controversy arose because of a miscommunication.
“The dispute between me and the members of Nibbana housing society has been resolved. The society had not discriminated against me. There had been a miscommunication,” Hashmi told reporters after a hearing on his complaint at the State Minorities Commission.
Hashmi's lawyer Majeed Memon said that a broker Jagjit Arora had told the 34-year-old actor that the society had refused to sell the flat as Hashmi was a Muslim.
“The secretary of the society – JP Chatri – today (Monday) told Emraan that they had not discriminated against the actor and that if anyone in the building wants to sell their flat then Emraan can buy it,” Memon said.
Chatri told the Commission that they would not refuse a house to the actor on religious grounds as there are several other Muslims residing in the building.
The owner of the flat DU Suvarna, who was also present during the hearing, said he would be more than happy to sell the flat to the actor who is like a “son” to him.
“I have not decided on what I will do with my flat. But if I decide to sell the flat then my first choice would be Hashmi,” Suvarna told the Commission.
On July 31, Hashmi had approached the Minorities Commission accusing the housing society in Pali Hill of religious discrimination by not providing the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to him to purchase a flat in the society.
The society houses film and television actors including well known villain Prem Chopra.
“The issue has been blown out of proportion by the media. It was a miscommunication and has been resolved after all the parties sat across the table today,” chairman of the Minorities Commission Naseem Siddiqui said.
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