NEW DELHI: In what appears to be a one-of-a-kind case of religious persecution of a government servant by his superiors, an education officer working in Bhopal was charged with waging “love jihad,” all because he was witness to an alleged sexual harassment of his colleague in the office. Initially, the department Mohammad Khalid Haque (name changed) works for victimized him. He was transferred to Dhanbad in Jharkhand and his salary stopped following an inquiry. But subsequent probes by his department, the police, the court and the National Commission for Minorities absolved him of the charges.
Khalid’s departmental director told the NCM that “the allegation of love jihad, after investigation of police found to be false (sic), and also by the honourable court.” The Union Labour Ministry, under which Khalid’s department functions, also found merit in Khalid’s allegation that he was discriminated against because of his religion. A deputy secretary told the NCM that “the allegation of the petitioner of discrimination against him found to be correct (sic)” and that the action taken against Khalid was “malicious.”
It all started in January 2017 after Radhika charged Prabhakar (both names changed) with harassment. Both are Khalid’s colleagues and he was witness to the alleged sexual harassment. Radhika’s husband, incidentally, is Prabhakar’s brother-in-law. While a departmental inquiry gave Prabhakar a clean chit, the Ministry found him guilty of sexual harassment, with Khalid providing a crucial piece of evidence.
This perhaps prompted Radhika’s husband to file a complaint against Khalid for “love jihad.” According to Khalid, Radhika’s husband pressured her to take back the sexual harassment charge against Prabhakar. But when she refused, her husband filed the “love jihad” complaint against Khalid. “I was charged by an outsider for love jihad and my department...initiated an inquiry to tarnish my modesty...just to harass me, spoil my career and disturb my family and social life (sic),” Khalid said in a petition to the Cabinet Secretary, the Labour Ministry and the NCM, seeking justice.
He said he was “feeling very afraid to be charged guilty (without any fault) and my whole family now at a threat of anti-social activity by so-called moral policing (sic).”Khalid also alleged that the department carried out its probe against him “without affording any opportunity to be heard, which is a violation of natural justice, and submitted a report to the Ministry.”
Perceiving his petitions as acts of insubordination, Khalid’s department transferred him from Bhopal to Dhanbad. Radhika was also transferred. Later, on the basis of an inquiry, Khalid was found to be guilty of “vitiating” the office atmosphere.
But in February 2017, the Ministry, after hearing Khalid, cancelled the transfer of both Radhika and Khalid. But while Radhika was allowed to rejoin work in Bhopal, Khalid was not. On the contrary, his salary was stopped on the grounds that he never joined the Dhanbad office.
‘Action of dept discriminatory and violates natural justice’
A five-member NCM bench headed by vice-chairperson George Kurian, while ordering an “independent inquiry” into the case, concluded that the actions of the department were “discriminatory” and in “violation of the principles of natural justice.” It also directed the Ministry to regularise Khalid’s service and release his salary. But Khalid is yet to get all his dues from the department. When contacted, both Kurian and Khalid refused to comment. Radhika and her husband have since filed for divorce.
Vilified, humiliated and victimised
Mohammad Khalid Haque, an education officer in Bhopal, was transferred to Dhanbad in Jharkhand and his salary stopped. But subsequent probes by his department, the police, the court and the National Commission for Minorities absolved him of all charges.