Wants BMC to make it compulsory for builders to sell flats irrespective of buyers’ faith, food preferences.The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), known for targeting migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, has now begun a campaign against the city’s vegetarian population, especially Gujaratis and Jains.In a letter submitted to Mayor Snehal Ambekar on Friday, the party has said that the BMC should make it compulsory for all builders to sell flats to would-be buyers irrespective of their religious beliefs and food preferences.Some developers sell property to only members of certain communities that are largely vegetarian. Many flat owners also follow such a policy while renting out their property.Sandeep Deshpane, the MNS leader in the BMC, said that new rules should be made for developers to prevent such discrimination.“Because of the insistence on vegetarianism, people from many communities are deprived of their fundamental right to purchase property in the country,” Deshpande said.Earlier, Congress leader Nitesh Rane has made controversial remarks against the city’s Gujarati-speaking population over the same issue. Last week, he triggered outrage when he said that he wanted to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Clean India’ campaign by “cleaning” the city of Gujaratis.The MNS has suggested that the civic authority should include the property-for-all condition in its process for granting permissions to builders. If the condition is not met, officials should withdraw the permits given to abuilder.“No developer should restrict the purchase of a flat in Mumbai on the basis of religion or food habits. The constitution has given equal rights to all Indians,” Deshpande said.He said that many people had criticised the MNS for its campaign against influx of migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, saying the constitution allowed Indians to live and work in any part of the country.“But why do these people remain silent when some communities are denied the fundamental right to buy a property?” Deshpande said.Manoj Kotak, the BJP group leader in the BMC, said that the law permitted citizens from the same community or with similar views to form a society.BJP city chief Ashish Shelar criticised the MNS’s proposal, saying Raj Thackeray’s party was only raking up issues to stay politically relevant. ‘If there is a provision in the constitution for equal rights and opportunities, then there is no need for new BMC rules,” he said.