The direct refusal to accept service based on religious affiliation represents a stark instance of economic targeting
NEW DELHI – A recent Facebook Post has shed light on a concerning trend of economic discrimination faced by Muslims in India, where religious identity is increasingly becoming a barrier to earning a livelihood.
Shahid Ferozpuriya, an AC mechanic from Nuh, has shared a distressing experience on social media that quickly gained widespread attention. He alleged that he was denied work in Haryana’s Gurugram city, close to the national capital, solely because of his Muslim faith.
According to Shahid, who has around 17,000 followers on Facebook, after being dispatched by his employer to service an air-conditioner in Sector 31, the homeowner specifically asked his name. Upon learning he was Muslim, the owner reportedly called Shahid’s employer and explicitly stated, “Muslim-Mohammadan se kaam nahi karwana” (We don’t want work done by Muslims/Mohammedans).
This direct refusal to accept service based on religious affiliation represents a stark instance of economic targeting.
Shahid’s humiliation, as expressed in his Facebook post, resonates with many others who have shared similar experiences of customers exhibiting reluctance or outright refusal once their religious identity is disclosed. Such incidents are not isolated; they contribute to a hostile environment where individuals are judged not by their skills or professionalism, but by their faith.
This systemic bias can severely impact the economic well-being of Muslim individuals, limiting their access to work and income, and fostering a sense of exclusion within their own country.
The “Millennium City” of Gurugram, a hub of economic activity, becoming a site for such discrimination underscores the pervasive nature of this challenge.
