New Delhi, August 3, 2023: In a startling case of discrimination, a 78-year-old Indian-American engineer, Anil Varshney, was terminated from his long-time position at a missile defence contractor, Parsons Corporation, based in Huntsville, Alabama.
The alleged reason behind his dismissal was that he was caught speaking in Hindi with his dying relative in India during a video call, as revealed in a lawsuit filed by Varshney.
According to the lawsuit filed in June, a white co-worker overheard Varshney speaking in Hindi with his brother-in-law on September 26, 2022. In a heartfelt moment to bid farewell, Varshney took the call in an empty cubicle, ensuring no confidential materials were around. Unfortunately, another colleague interrupted the call and falsely reported it as a security violation.
“The defendants claimed Varshney committed a serious security violation and fired him without any investigation,” the lawsuit stated. As a result of the termination, Varshney’s career and his contributions to the Missile Defence Agency (MDA) came to an abrupt halt, as he was “blackballed from future MDA work.”
The lawsuit, filed against Parsons Corporation and the Secretary of Defence, Lloyd J. Austin, seeks justice and reinstatement for Varshney. He aims to return to a comparable position, have his privileges restored, and have any disciplinary records removed from his file. Additionally, Varshney seeks compensatory damages for the emotional distress caused by the unjust termination.
