By IndiaTomorrow.net,
Mumbai, 22 May 2015: With the case of job discrimination with Mumbai business graduate Zeeshan Ali Khan becoming a national issue, more facts have started to come to fore regarding the illegal and unconstitutional practice of some companies. Some say that what Mumbai-based diamond firm Hari Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. has done with MBA graduate Zeeshan is actually becoming a common practice.
“Employers rejecting the candidates on the basis of religion (specially to Muslims) is very common. Since we are involved into providing Employment Help to unemployed youth, we face such issues on regular basis,” claimed Aamir Edresy, national president of Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP), a Platform for Muslim professionals.
Zeeshan had applied for job at the multi-billion Hari Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd Tuesday evening. Within 15 minutes, he got a one-line cold reply from the company: “Dear Zeeshan, Thanks for your application. We regret to inform you that we hire only Non-Muslim candidates.”
AMP chief says there are many other ways besides this crude form of religious discrimination in jobs. “Not only this, but there are so many other ways in which people are discriminating, which can’t even (be) thought of.”
Mumbai-based Aamir Edresy claims that since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power at the centre in May 2014, there has been a rise in job discrimination with Muslims.
“This trend was not this common before but since last one year, quite a few companies are openly doing this. There is a strong need to work on this and find out concrete solution,” he said.
He also advised Muslim youths to gain more talent and skill to become necessity for market.
“On the other hand Muslim Youth must work more hard and become the necessity for the employers to defeat the discrimination.”
AMP is a platform where Muslim professionals share their knowledge, intellect, experience and skills for the overall development of not just the Muslim Community but also the society at large, and further empowering Muslims in the educational, social, political and economic front of life. AMP holds career counselling camps and also Job fairs. AMP is a registered NGO in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Zeeshan Ali Khan has filed an FIR against the diamond firm for denying him job on the ground of religion.
Moreover, the National Commission for Minorities has also ordered an inquiry into the incident. Acting on the complaint of Delhi-based lawyer activist Shehzad Poonawalla, the minority panel issued the order.
“This incident is a blatant violation of the spirit of the Constitution that mandates equality and absence of religious discrimination through Articles 14 and Article 25. Although the said articles apply to State/Public Authorities, it is incumbent on the Central and State government to prevent public and private entities from violating the Constitution and promote religious discrimination, hatred and intolerance. It is a blatant violation of several penal provisions of the Indian Penal Code 1860 that prohibit religious based discrimination, hatred, intolerance and stereotyping including sections 153B, 295A and 505(2),” wrote Poonawalla in his complaint on Thursday.
In November 2013, the NCM, acting on his complaint in 99acres.com case, had proactively taken up the matter of discrimination in housing against Muslim minorities in Mumbai.
Poonawalla sent a copy of his petition to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and also to Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Meanwhile,Hare Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd has admitted the mistake saying the HR executive was a trainee and did not know the rules of the company.
“As a company, we wish to reiterate that there is an error done by one of the newly joined HR trainee. Company functions without being biased with any caste, religion and gender. In fact, more than 50 employees are from Minority community and people from 28 states are working in our group companies; some of them being for more than 12 years,” wrote Diamondbyhk Jasani, marketing executive of the company on his facebook page.
Mahendra S. Deshmukh, Associate VP & Head-HR of the company has reportedly said: “We would like to clarify that the company does not discriminate against candidates based on gender, caste, religion, etc. Any hurt caused in the matter is deeply regretted.”
