An article about North Indians in South Indian Newspaper

I came across this article at this blog anonymously named as Just Another Blog. The article was published on front page of popular South Indian newspaper Vijay Times on March 6, 2007. As per this article (doing CAP from original post) –

 

 

S M SHASHI PRASAD & ASHWINI KATGERI

 

Bangalore:: South Indians are a great hit among house owners in north India. They are believed to make good tenants, are not quarrelsome and do not drag the owner to court when asked to vacate the premises. The north Indians hunting for houses are, however, not so welcome back in Bangalore. Not because they are anti-theses of south Indians in north India but for an entirely different reason.

 

Fear of links with terrorists! This apprehension is making several Bangalorean house owners to turn away north Indians, especially bachelors, who come knocking at the doors to take their houses on rent.

 

If the north Indian is a government employee or is married with kids, he/she has a better chance of landing the house they want in the area they prefer. Otherwise it is pretty tough, say both house owners and house hunters.

 

The unhappy scene is unlikely to change for the better any day soon what with terror threat looming large over the city and Bangalore being perceived to be a safe haven for terror outfits.

 

Several house owners are confused and face the dilemma of whether to let the house on rent, outright turn away the north Indian or tell him/her to first register their details with nearby police station.

 

“I have been told by many people not to rent out my house to unknowns and people from north Indian region. I am totally confused about the matter. If tenants are made to provide their details to a nearby police station, then it will be very helpful for house owners like us to believe in them, “ says Girish K, who owns a house near Kumaraswamy Layout.

 

The Frazer Town Police had last year launched a programme requesting all house owners in the locality to register themselves and to provide information about their tenants. Since it was not mandatory, not many responded.

 

N Srinidhi, Inspector, Frazer Town, says collecting information on tenants in the area is moving at a slow pace because of staff shortage as well as public not taking the matter seriously. The owners might also be apprehensive that their financial status may come under scanner, he adds.

 

Srinidhi says not only rented houses but also growing PG accommodations have become a big concern for the police as none is providing the details of the tenants. Antisocial elements can easily take shelter in these houses and PG accommodations, he fears.

 

House owners have their own tales to tell about giving police the details of their tenants. They feel it is impractical considering the fact that many tenants frequently shift houses. Also dealing with police is a major problem, as they may tend to harass the owners on flimsy grounds.

 

Badri, a techie, who recently hunted for a house, says nowadays the owners are very sensitive about the background of the tenants. If the prospective tenant is from north India, they entertain only if the person is working in a government office or is married and living with the spouse and children. The house owners are not at all encouraging bachelors, so it has resulted in increasing demand for PG accommodation, he adds.

 

“We are looking forward for compulsory registration process to get a push. It is difficult to trace the person’s background when he comes looking for house to rent. Most of the owners are also concerned with the rent being paid on time,” says Nagaraj S, a real estate businessman in N R Colony.

I will not go to the extent of abusing the regional people but of course, such news articles will hurt any North-Indian. And it is a fact as I am one of the witness of such incidents that many Bangaloreans (I had experience with Bangalorians only) take North Indian bachelors specially Sardars as nothing else but terrorists. I had my time of struggle for house search and I also came across such racial remarks. All I will ask is how can you take any North Indian (and when he is a software engineer showing you his Infy ID Card) as a belligerent?

2 thoughts on “An article about North Indians in South Indian Newspaper”

  1. i used to work as scientist in Ranchi during 2003-2006. My house ownere was a bengali. when i was transferred from there she cam and requested me to find a south indian tenant only for her. The reason she gave was south indians keep their premises and kitchen clean. they dont litter their surrounding. This was true when i experienced that localities there though dress themselves with cosmetics, their houses are shabby and premsises dirty. Its obvious that people see differences and opt for the better one.

  2. Hi,
    Artivle is absolutely correct, being a core South Indian I do agree for the opinion, It is rightly said a known devil is better then a unknown devil.
    North Indian never participate with us nor they heve any interest in knowhow of our culture, sometimes they behave like NRI’s. They think they are too much superior to us, I have four houses which I never let It to north Indians and that too business class.We all are Indians, Being born in South we are South Indians. We have our own culture, our own tradition, our own food, our own heritage, one and all should respect other religon.

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