Mawlid Al-Nabi, celebrated every year in honor of the birth of Prophet Muhammad, has been observed as an official holiday since a decision made in the 1960s. However, the fact that this holiday is only applicable to public institutions has caused dissatisfaction among workers in the private sector.
Many citizens view the recognition of Mawlid Al-Nabi as an official holiday positively, yet they express discontent over the holiday’s exclusive coverage for public employees. Workers in the private sector argue that this holiday policy is unfair, criticizing the notion that individuals living in the same country experience discrimination regarding holiday time.
Public Reactions
Mustafa Hantı pointed out the injustice of this policy, asking, “The holiday is due to Mawlid, but it only applies to public employees. If it were a real holiday, everyone could take time off. Why only for civil servants?” Hantı emphasized that the worker class deserves equal treatment.
Similarly, Orçun Altıntaş expressed that the fact that only civil servants get to take a holiday is discriminatory. “The significance of Mawlid is the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. But this is only reflected in holidays for public employees,” he stated.
Double Standards at Play
Yaşar Alacı highlighted the importance of Mawlid Al-Nabi and stressed the injustice of this holiday period being limited to public servants. Alacı noted that workers laboring in the heat are unable to take a holiday, creating a double standard in the process.
Onur Çakmak, who works in the private sector, indicated they receive extra pay on the holiday, but questioned the fairness of this arrangement. “On a day where all Muslims should be on holiday, it’s problematic that only civil servants get to take time off,” he expressed.
Gülseven Keleş argued that the state should be questioned about the reason for this discrimination. “There is a holiday for the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, but we are still working,” she summarized the situation.
Elif Dağdelen criticized the situation by saying, “State employees might be on leave, but we have nothing. We continue to work,” she lamented.
Source: www.diyaloggazetesi.com
