Hindutva extremists demand ban on India's biggest helicopter company for hiring Muslims.

New Delhi -- Hindutva extremists in India, who have been up in arms in recent weeks over issues like Muslim attires and loudspeakers at mosques, have found a new target: state-owned Pawan Hans on the charge of hiring Muslim trainees.

According to media report , the country's biggest helicopter service provider has apparently caused displeasure among the extremists with its alleged list of new apprentices. Its critics have been widely circulating on social media a list of trainees-all of them Muslims-who allegedly joined the company on March 30.

Those on the list, the Hindutva extremists allege, are all products of Delhi's famed Jamia Milia Islamia University, and that this was 'unfair' to those following the 'majority' religion.

Not surprisingly, #BanPawanHans has been trending on Twitter over the past few days.

The extremists even alleged that the government-owned aviation company had carved out a secret quota for Muslim candidates.

Pawan Hans owns 43 helicopters and serves firms like Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and other state-owned energy firms for their off-shore and remote locations like the northeast and India's island territories. The Narendra Modi government has been trying to sell a majority stake of 51% in Pawan Hans since 2018, but without luck so far.

A Hindi-language news channel seems to have sparked the row. Last week, it reported that Pawan Hans was hiring only Muslim candidates for its apprentice programme.

It reported that Hindutva extremists had been protesting against the company. It also...