Headlines
Muslim body to counter religious discrimination with 'Gandhigiri'
Mumbai, May 23
Shaken by the incident of a
Muslim MBA being denied a job in a Hindu-owned diamond export company on
religious grounds, the Indian Union Muslim League announced on Saturday
that it would counter the issue with "Gandhigiri".
They said this would strengthen the communal bonds within the country's commercial capital.
IUML
President Pervez Lakdawala said that henceforth Muslim-owned companies
would gladly offer employment to 10 Hindus for every Muslim candidate
rejected by a Hindu-owned company on any grounds.
"Rejection of
employment on religious grounds is very dangerous to the secular fabric
and the country's unity and integrity," Lakdawala told media persons
here on Saturday.
"It is also a major challenge to the
constitutional and religious pillars of the world's largest democracy...
Such things cannot be tolerated."
He was accompanied by All
India Milli Council (AIMC) general secretary M.A. Khalid and other
prominent community leaders, who discussed the manner in which a Muslim
youth from Kurla, Zeeshan Ali Khan, was rejected by Hari Krishna Exports
Pvt. Ltd.
The candidate, like two of his friends and
co-applicants, holds MBA qualification and the rejection was purely
because he followed Islam, they said.
The company is headquartered in the Bandra-Kurla Complex which is a cosmopolitan business hub in central Mumbai.
Lakdawala
said this is not the first time such a thing may have happened, but
this time it has come to light with evidence for which the media and
social media should get full credit.
"We follow the ideals of
Mahatma Gandhi and so we shall counter this trend with 'Gandhigiri'. So
all companies owned by Muslims will give jobs to 10 Hindus for every
Muslim rejected on religious grounds by Hindu-owned companies,"
Lakdawala said.
Khalid termed the issue as unfortunate and
regressive in a democratic country which has made great strides in
different spheres and urged the central and state government to examine
the matter thoroughly and take remedial measures.
He urged Prime
Minister Narendra Modi to set up an "Equal Opportunities Commission" to
ensure that similar discrimination on any grounds could be prevented in
future and the slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas" could be
implemented in letter and spirit.
The IUML and AIMC have also
written letters to President Pranab Mukherjee, prime minister, chief
justice of India, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, chief
justice of Bombay High Court, labour minister, National Human Rights
Commission and the National Commission of Minorities seeking their
intervention in the matter, said Khalid.
Meanwhile, Mukund Mani
and Omkar Bansode, who were offered jobs in Hari Krishna Exports Pvt.
Ltd. have decided to reject the offers in protest against the refusal of
placement to their friend and batchmate, Khan.