‘Dismissal based on religion by Shani Shingnapur Temple Trust is illegal,' says SP MLA Rais Shaikh
Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh Sunday termed the recent termination of 114 minority employees by the Shani Shingnapur Temple Trust in Maharashtra as an 'illegal and arbitrary act'.
Speaking on the issue, Shaikh said, 'Targeting Muslims and Dalits has always been part of the BJP government's long-standing strategy. Their core agenda is to polarise votes along religious lines and seize power. This discrimination is being practiced in all walks of life, and the dismissal of 114 Muslim employees by the Shani Shingnapur Trust is a clear example of the BJP-RSS mindset in action.'
The 114 minority employees terminated by the Trust were employed in departments such as waste management, agriculture, and administration.
MLA Shaikh further pointed out that the NCP has the highest number of Muslim MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly and currently holds the Minority Affairs department. 'If the NCP continues to toe the BJP line, no Muslim voter will ever support them again,' warned Shaikh. He added that he plans to meet Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar soon and file a complaint against the NCP MLA who allegedly pressured the Trust to act.
The renowned Shani Shingnapur Temple Trust in the Ahmednagar district has claimed that the terminated employees had been absent from duty for several months. Notably, earlier objections had been raised by right-wing groups over minority workers being involved in the painting and maintenance of the temple premises. Tushar Bhosale of the Hindu Spiritual Front and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) MLA Sangram Jagtap had also threatened to launch an agitation against the Trust if the workers were not retrenched.
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