Heptulla deplores incident of man being denied job over

Says this incident should not have happened

Union Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla today deplored the incident where an MBA graduate was denied job in a company allegedly for being Muslim, and said the Constitution guarantees equal opportunities for all and those violating it have to be dealt with.

"This incident should not have happened," Najma told PTI when asked for her comments about the incident.

Every citizen should be committed to the Constitution and each one should adhere to its principles and ensure that there is no discrimination on the lines of caste, community, language and gender, she said.

"Anybody who violates these principles and directive principles of the Constitution has to be dealt with. There is a law in our country and I feel the judiciary is absolutely unbiased and very good," the Minority Affairs Minister said.

Management graduate Zeshan Ali Khan had applied for an opening in a diamond export company on May 19 and, according to him, he received a response within 15 minutes which said they hired only non-Muslim candidates.

Following a petition, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) too has sought an explanation from the concerned business house in this regard.

Asked if there was a need for a legislation in this regard, Heptulla said that "the Constitution is already the greatest legislation we have passed at the time of Independence. We don't need any supportive legislations for it."

The Constitution is the greatest protection for every citizen against any violation, she added.

The company had, however, issued a clarification claiming it was "an error" by an HR trainee against whom appropriate action had been taken.