Birju Dattani, the Indian-origin human rights commissioner in Canada, resigns, his statement on Israel creates a ruckus

Birju Dattani Resigned: The newly appointed Indian-origin Commissioner for Human Rights in Canada resigned even before taking charge due to allegations of anti-Semitism against him. In fact, Birju Dattani took leave a day before officially taking charge. He announced his resignation on LinkedIn amid complaints.

According to an India Today report, Canada’s chief human rights commissioner Birju Dattani used the name “Mujahid Dattani” in some online activities and speaking engagements. This name was not included in the Privy Council Office investigation.

Birju Dattani posted his resignation on LINKEDIN

Birju Dattani wrote a post on the social media platform ‘LinkedIn’, ‘I have agreed to resign as the Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, effective today, August 12, 2024. I strongly believe in the work of the Commission, its mandate and its importance to our democracy.’ In his letter to Virani, Dattani explained the role of changing his name.

Birju Dattani changed his name after converting to Islam

Birju Dattani further said that he converted to Islam and changed his name. He said that he was raised as a Hindu, but in 2001 he became a Muslim and adopted the name Mujahid. Dattani said that in the year 2017 he chose to keep his given name Birju Dattani, while Mujahid remains a part of his identity. The report revealed that Birju Dattani was very upset due to the underestimation of his work.

No evidence of ‘Mujahid Dattani’s anti-Semitism’

The investigation revealed that Commissioner Birju Dattani had used another name, “Mujahid Dattani”, in the online platform, which was not included in the initial investigation. The report said that he had omitted this name and the unemployment column from his investigation form.

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