Kolkata–based man has lost his job for allegedly sporting a beard.
Md. Ali Ismail, a resident of Picnic Garden had been working with Adhunik Group of Industries for the past six years. Ismail, working in the capacity of General Manager – Mines, with the group had gone for Haj in May, 2014 and returned sporting a beard.
Since then, his salary was slashed to half and was paid the other half in kind. The stand-off between Ismail and the company continued till March, until he sought an appointment with the Managing Director of the Company Manoj Agarwal.
During this meeting, Ismail allegedly demanded his pending dues but was thrown out by security guards and was termed as a ‘terrorist’ by Agarwal for sporting a beard.
“As soon as I returned from my Haj pilgrimage, I had been sporting a beard. The MD of the company said that I was trying to threaten him and termed me a ‘terrorist’. It was extremely saddening to hear that I was termed as a ‘terrorist’ on my own soil,” claimed Ismail.
Later, Ismail approached the Minority Commission, Human Rights Commission and the Chief Minister’s office, but to no avail.
However, the company has taken dismissed such allegations, saying that he is a fraud.
As soon as the news broke, Ismail received an SMS from the company, offering him to settle his dues. But, Ismail has made it clear that he does not want the dues to be returned to him, but justice must be served to him.