Mumbai: Delhi-based journalist-activist Gautam Navlakha and his author-partner Sahba Husain have faced significant challenges finding a rental home in Mumbai since his bail was granted by the Supreme Court in the Elgaar Parishad case in May.
Despite owning a home in Delhi, the 72-year-old Navlakha is required to reside in Mumbai as per his bail conditions. Their house-hunting efforts in Mumbai have been fruitless, forcing them to live in a library-turned-makeshift home where Navlakha had been under house arrest from November 2022 until May this year.
“Once Gautam was out on bail, we felt that the four years of struggle would ease. Our celebration was short-lived. As soon as we began hunting for a house to rent, we were shocked at the response we received from agents and homeowners,” Husain told The Indian Express.
According to Husain, the couple has looked at 30 homes in Navi Mumbai’s Belapur and the western suburbs of Andheri and Goregaon but have been turned down — chiefly due to her religion and his ongoing case.
“The agents would ask us our names and on hearing my name, tell us that we will not be able to rent the home. One of the agents asked me if I have converted since I’m with Gautam because that might make it easier to find a house. I told them that I’m born Muslim and neither of us have converted because of our relationship,” Husain said, adding that she had never imagined living “in an India where religious divide has taken such deep roots.”
In the few cases where they did find a willing owner, the Elgaar Parishad case against Navlakha served as a deterrent. In some cases, offers were rescinded at an advanced stage of talks — such as the point where deposits had to be made.
“Gautam and I had decided not to lie about the case. We didn’t want the indignity of being told to vacate after we start living in the house. We’re not ashamed that he went to jail; we know there is nothing against him. Agents and owners say that they are looking for respectable couples like us, but the moment they hear about us, they refuse the offer,” Husain said.
According to Husain, the bail condition of not leaving the city is unreasonable and impinges on the couple’s right to life. The couple’s lack of a steady source of income adds to the problem.
“Our Constitution guarantees us the right to equality and the right to life. Bail means restoration of liberty with reasonable restrictions… We had not imagined being punished like this, at this age. The Supreme Court itself has said that the trial may take many years. For how long can we live like this? He does not have a job and my work suffers since I am not in Delhi,” Husain said, adding that they had already dipped into their savings.