For ‘offering job’ to a Bangladeshi diplomat’s wife in Guwahati, the management of Topcem Cement was condemned by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) on Sunday.
Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner to Guwahati – Shah Mohammad Tanvir Mansur’s wife Munera Azam was appointed as a senior manager (marketing & sales) by Topcem Cement.
It is against the spirit of the historic Assam accord said Chief advisor of AASU Samujjal Bhattacharya adding that this act will not be tolerated.
Bhattacharya said, “While lakhs of youths in Assam are unemployed, appointment of a Bangladeshi diplomat’s wife in a company that runs from the state is not acceptable”.
It is the duty of Assam Government to make sure that such things do not happen, Bhattacharya said stressing on the fact.
Bhattacharya said, “Unfortunately, the state government as well as the Centre failed miserably. Youths from Assam and Northeast should get first preference in all jobs”.
There is provision for exclusive job reservations in Central, PSUs, state and private sectors for the youths of Assam as per Clause 6 of Assam Accord, said the AASU leader.
Bhattacharya said, “The State Government should check as to which corporate company in Assam has employed whom”.
Topcem Cement was questioned by frustrated educated unemployed youths about their ‘intentions’ in appointing Munera Azam in a senior position in the company. People described the job offer as a ‘dividend’ for some kind of a ‘special favour’ to the company, which is headed by a controversial Guwahati-based business tycoon, Kailash Lohia.
The issue of spiraling unemployment in the State was failed to be addressed by the Corporate houses in Assam, said KMSS leader Deben Sarma.
Sarma said, “Companies like Topcem Cement are here in Assam only to mint money and employ Bangladeshi nationals in top positions”.
“How couldn’t the management of Topcem Cement find any suitable candidate in Assam? Do they mean to say that Assam doesn’t have any qualified person to get the job of a senior manager,” he added.
General Secretary of KMSS’s Guwahati committee, Akash Doley, said the BJP government in Assam has turned into slaves of the corporate houses.
Doley said, “Appointment of a Bangladeshi citizen in a big corporate house in Guwahati is a serious issue”. He added that Assam is already in a demographic challenge because of a large scale migration from Bangladesh.
He said, “Lakhs of Assamese youths have lost their jobs. And at the same time, a Bangladeshi national has been given a high-profile job in Guwahati. This is shocking”.
No statement has been issued by the management of Topcem cement regarding the matter of appointment.