Diamond exporter charged for denying Muslim a job

[email protected] (The Hindu)
May 22, 2015

Mumbai, May 22: Amid a public outrage, the Mumbai Police booked leading diamond conglomerate Hare Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. on Thursday for discrimination and denying a young man a job because he was a Muslim.

The Maharashtra government has said it will order an investigation.

zeshan
“Thanks for your application. We regret to inform you that we hire only non-Muslim candidates,” was the reply he received on Tuesday. After Mr. Khan decided to go public with the company’s response, a public outrage erupted on social media, forcing HKE Pvt. Ltd.to apologise.

Exporter blames human resources trainee

Maharashtra Minority Minister Eknath Khadse on Thursday condemned the denial of a job for a Muslim youth on the basis of his religion and said the government would conduct an inquiry. “We will see that there is strongest punishment possible under available laws,” Mr. Khadse said.

Based on a complaint by 22-year-old MBA, Zeshan Ali Khan, an FIR was registered at a police station in suburban Kurla against major diamond conglomerate and exporter Hare Krishna Exports Pvt. Ltd. The firm has been booked under Sections 153 B (1) (b) (c) of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with hurting religious sentiments, denying or depriving a person his rights and causing disharmony. According to police, the offence is punishable with up to three-year imprisonment.

Acting on a complaint by social activist Shezhad Poonawalla, the National Commission for Minorities has also sent a notice to the company and directed an enquiry. Mr. Poonawalla, also a lawyer, said the incident was a “blatant violation of the spirit of the Constitution that mandates equality and absence of religious discrimination through Articles 14 and Article 25.”

Savji Dholakia, founder and chairman of HKE, contended that the “erroneous email” was “a mistake” committed by a woman trainee, Dipika Tike, who joined the “firm’s HR team only two months ago” and was not aware of the company’s culture. “She did not realise the gravity of her blunder,” Mr. Dholakia told The Hindu. “There is no official policy or rule in the company that prevents people of a particular caste or religion from getting employment. We had no intention of appearing biased or hurting sentiments,” he said.

Mr. Dholakia’s explanation did not soften the outrage on social media with many charging that the “trainee employee” was being made a “scapegoat” for the firm’s offence. Some also questioned her status as a trainee, saying she was a full-time employee.

Well known among diamond circles, Mr. Dholakia hit the headlines last year after he gifted his employees in Surat more than 400 cars, over 200 flats and jewellery sets as incentive on Diwali.

‘Diverse workforce’

Arguing that a “diverse workforce spreading across States, religion, caste and languages” and a “harmonious culture” existed in his two-decade-old company, Mr. Dholakia said he employed 71 Muslims. The company has around 8,500 on its rolls, he added.

There was speculation that Ms. Tike had been sacked by the company as a punitive measure. However, there was no confirmation of this. Asked if the company would take any action against her, Mr. Dholakia retorted: “What will we gain out of it?”

Mr. Dholakia has received the GJEPC Export award for 2010-11 from Narendra Modi, who was then Gujarat Chief Minister.

Political parties, including the NCP and AAP, condemned the incident and called for a thorough investigation and strictest possible action against the exporter.

Also Read: MBA graduate denied job in diamond export company for being Muslim

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News Network
March 27,2024

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Gokarna (Uttara Kannada): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Congress will decide about making him the Chief Minister in future, bringing to the fore again the issue of leadership change.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the Chief Minister's post after the Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational Chief Minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

During a temple visit here, a priest prayed that God's blessings may be showered on Shivakumar, and he became the Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters here in Uttara Kannada district, Shivakumar, who has in the past made no secret of his ambition to become Chief Minister, amid speculations of change in guard mid-way of the Assembly term, responded to talk in some political circles about the leadership issue.

"What's wrong if a priest expresses his desire before God while praying? The priest has expressed his desire. Now Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister, I'm working as Deputy Chief Minister under him, also as party's state President. People speak about it and desiring it (Shivakumar should become CM) is a different matter, it will be decided by our party," Shivakumar said.

"Now we are all working under the leadership of Siddaramaiah, and our desire is that the state should progress further under his leadership," he said.

"There will be people including supporters and priests, who pray for us, they will express their opinion. Can we stop them from doing it? At the temple it is between God and his disciple, they have expressed their feelings to God," Shivakumar added. 

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News Network
March 14,2024

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Udupi: In a freak mishap, a 65-year-old man lost his life after being hit by his own bus which was being repaired at a garage at Athrady in Udupi district on Wednesday, March 13.

The deceased has been identified as Dayanand Shetty, the owner of a private bus.

It is learnt that the bus had been kept for repairs at the garage and Dayanand had gone there to inspect the repair works.

At this time, the mechanic started the engine and the bus moved ahead. Dayanand, who was standing in front of the bus, came under its wheels.

He was immediately rushed to a hospital where he died without responding to the treatment. A case is registered at jurisdictional Manipal police station.

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News Network
March 27,2024

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Hassan: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda has announced that his son, former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will contest from state's Mandya parliamentary seat as NDA candidate.

Deve Gowda told reporters on Tuesday that the decision to field Kumaraswamy, who is also JD(S) state president, in Lok Sabha polls from the Mandya seat was taken amid mounting public demand. "People are demanding that Kumaraswamy should contest from Mandya. In the core committee meeting as well, all members suggested that he should contest from Mandya," Deve Gowda said.

The former Chief Minister's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy had lost to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The JD(S) supremo further said that the name of senior leader Mallesh Babu has been finalised from the Kolar seat.

Deve Gowda's grandson and former Karnataka Minister H. D. Revanna's son sitting JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna will be contesting as the NDA candidate from the Hassan seat.

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy in a media briefing indicated that he would contest from Mandya amid mounting public pressure on him.

Congress has fielded Venkatarame Gowda popularly known as ‘Star Chandru’ from the Mandya seat dominated by Vokkaligas. Star Chandru is a close associate of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

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