Amit Tomar, an employee at a shopping complex in Uttar Pradesh’s Rajapur Chungi area of Agra, was recently terminated by his marketing manager after he refused to dress as Santa Claus on Christmas.

“I arrived at work on 24 December. All of the employees were instructed to dress as Santa Claus. I resisted obeying the directions and stated that I would not wear the costume,” Tomar said.

“I’m a Hindu and I don’t believe in Christianity. I’m ready to wear the company’s uniform but not the outfit of Santa Claus,” he stated. Because I disobeyed the instruction, I was fired from my job, and my salary was also halted by the employer, he added.

On 25 December, the Yogi Youth Brigade members reached the shopping complex to protest against Amit’s wrongful dismissal. The employees were forced to wear the dress of the Christian community, Dharmendra Dhakad, President of Yogi Youth Brigade-Agra, said.

The staff was prepared to wear the company’s uniform, not the dress associated with Christianity. But they were forced to follow the order. One of the employees was fired after objecting to their order, he said.

“Today, we have been asked to wear Christian attire. We shall soon be forced to wear a skull cap on Eid. No one is capable of using such force. Thus we urge that a complaint be filed against the manager,” Ajay Tomar, State President of Yogi Youth Brigade said.

As per the police, a complaint has been filed against the marketing manager and the investigation is underway.