Maharashtra minister inaugurates 'Call Hindu Jobs' portal, faces criticism over communal focus
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Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, has inaugurated a digital employment portal titled Call Hindu Jobs, sparking debate over its exclusive community focus.
Developed by Vishal Durafe, a member of the Hindu Jagran Manch and former leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the portal is yet to become operational. The Hindu Jagran Manch is affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
During the inauguration, Lodha stated that the platform aims to assist youth in securing employment and learning self-employment skills, including marketing training. “Durafe has done good work. Maharashtra needs employment on a large scale. I inaugurated this as I hold the employment portfolio,” Lodha said.
When questioned about the appropriateness of a government minister endorsing a community-specific initiative, Lodha defended the move. “There is nothing wrong if someone decides to do some constructive work only for the Hindu community,” he said, according to Deccan Herald. He further added that the government would support similar initiatives by other communities as well.
In remarks reported by The Print, Lodha clarified that the portal is open to all. “Out of their own sentiment, they have named the portal for Hindus, but if anyone in Maharashtra uses it, nobody is going to say no.”
Vishal Durafe stated that the portal’s main objective is to connect Hindu job seekers with business owners from the community. He also mentioned plans to expand the portal's features to include self-employment, e-commerce, and matrimonial services. However, when asked whether participation would be restricted to Hindus, Durafe responded, “It is not necessary.”
The initiative has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. Mahesh Tapase, spokesperson for the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), said, “Any minister has to work as per what is defined by the Constitution, which clearly spells out equal opportunity for everyone. Once a minister endorses a communal jobs portal, it raises the question on whether he understands the role he has to play as a minister.”
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Sameer Ahmed elected President of SKMWA Muscat for 2026–2027
Muscat: Sameer Ahmed, a native of Udupi and currently employed in a private company in Muscat, has been elected President of the South Kanara Muslim Welfare Association (SKMWA), Muscat, for the 2026–2027 term.
The election was conducted during the association’s Annual General Body Meeting held at Al Reef Hotel, Muscat, in the presence of chief guests Adil Shaikh, Monabba, Shareef, and Sahebzada Mehmood.
The newly elected office bearers include Vice Presidents Mohd Arif (Udupi) and Niyaz Mohammed (Mangalore), General Secretary Jaseem Basha (Kundapura), Joint Secretaries Rizwan Ali (Udupi) and Zaheer Hussain (Moodbidri), Treasurer Tajuddin Sheikh (Tonse), Assistant Treasurer Irfan Ahmed (Udyavara), Finance Secretary Mohammed Asif Gafur (Karkala), Assistant Finance Secretary Mohammed Akif Gafoor (Karkala), and Auditor Ashraf Ali (Kaup).
The Core Committee includes Event Coordinators Ansar Katipalla and Adil Moodbidri, and Sports Coordinators Ashpak Basrur and Muneer Ahmed (Sastan).
The programme commenced with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Zaid Asif. The Annual Activity Report for 2025 was presented by Sameer Ahmed, while the financial report was delivered by Mohammed Asif Gafoor and verified by Auditor Ashraf Ali.
Former president Azim was felicitated by Syed Mohiddin Saheb during the event.
The meeting concluded with an address by the newly elected president, followed by a vote of thanks proposed by General Secretary Jaseem Basha. The programme was coordinated by Syed Mohiddin Saheb (Sastan) and Ansar Katipalla.
