Mumbai: LinkedIn job ad sparks Marathi-Gujarati conflict

Anand Vanjape, a Pune-based social worker and activist, lodged a written complaint against the recruiter

The Marathi-Gujarati conflict in Mumbai resurfaced after Janvi Sarna, a freelance HR recruiter, posted a controversial advertisement on LinkedIn for a graphic designer position, stating that ‘Marathi people are not welcome here'. This has caused public outrage on social media, where people have been criticising the company. The post has also prompted the police to register a complaint against the recruiter.

The complaint

Following the post on LinkedIn, Anand Vanjape, a Pune-based social worker and activist, lodged a written complaint against the recruiter at the Kothrud (Pune) police station. The written complaint in Marathi, addressed to the senior police inspector, a copy of which is with mid-day, reads, "A job recruitment post on a job search site, has come to my notice. In this post, ‘Marathi people are not welcome here' has been clearly mentioned. The post is a violation of my constitutional rights and is not bound to the unity and integrity of the nation, and disturbs social harmony."

The written complaint also said, "It is a humble request that you cooperate with us by either issuing a warning or taking legal action against the said person, Janvi Sarna, a freelance recruiter and HR consultant.

Sandeep Deshmane, senior police inspector, Kothrud Police Station, told mid-day, "We received the complaint on May 5. We are currently on election duty, and I need to check what further action has been taken against the recruiter. We have registered a non-cognisable offence against the recruiter."

Anand Vanjpe, in conversation with mid-day, said, "I found the post very disturbing, hence, I lodged a complaint against the recruiter. If no action is taken, this can become the new normal where people freely discriminate. I went through the profile of the recruiter and found out that she has experience of almost seven to eight years in the field. If such experienced people do not understand the repercussions of their actions or the law, it is a serious issue. Hurting the sentiments is one part, but what the recruiter has done is a crime according to the Constitution, and it should be understood that action needs to be taken against those who intend to discriminate."

Sarna did not respond to this reporter's calls or texts until the time of going to press.

Public outrage on X

Many social media users criticised the company for its biased hiring requirement. Some users pointed out that Maharashtra, which has the highest number of Marathi speakers, was being excluded from job opportunities, while others also highlighted that this wasn't the first time Marathi people faced discrimination. One X user stated, "Hiring bias refers to the prejudice or preference shown by employers toward certain candidates based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other factors unrelated to the candidate's qualifications or job performance. (SIC)"

Another user on X wrote, "Blatant Discrimination Against Marathi People.... It's sad to see discrimination against certain people in job descriptions, is it legal? (SIC)"

May 5
The day the complaint was filed

The company says

Balkrushn Koladiya, founder and CEO, IT CODE INFOTECH, posted a clarification of the incident on LinkedIn, stating, "We strongly condemn the recent hateful post directed towards Marathi people by Janvi Sarna. It's important to clarify that she is not affiliated with our company in any capacity; she simply used our company name on a platform open to anyone. We have reached out to her for clarification, and she has since apologised and updated her current employment details, which you can verify."