One of the first complaints of discrimination, that came to light after the Supreme Court diluted the Article 377 earlier this month, by a former employee of a tech company has been addressed swiftly and definitively.
Information technology major Tech Mahindra sacked a senior-level diversity and inclusivity officer after carrying out a thorough investigation in a case accusing her of making homophobic and racial slurs against a former employee. The complaint against the Richa Gautam was made a week back and the Group Chairman Anand Mahindra as well as the company CEO CP Gurnani promised to conduct an internal investigation.
The incident was brought to light by a former company employee, Gaurav Pramanik on September 9. He tweeted that his former head of the department, Richa Gautam, had mocked him, calling him effeminate leading to bullying by other co-workers and affecting his work.
In another incident in 2015, Gautam taunted a former manager of ‘crying like a gay man’ in a staff meeting, according to an email sent to Gautam by Pramanik which he tweeted out, after section 377 criminalising consensual sex between homosexual adults was struck down by the Supreme Court earlier this month. He also highlighted Gautam’s hatred towards Muslims, calling her behaviour “bigoted and homophobic”.
As promised, I wrote an email to my then boss at a Mahindra company I used to work with. She was a bigot and I suffered in her hands, I hence called her out. pic.twitter.com/4uHev8MY7G
— GauravProbirPramanik (@gauravpramanik) September 9, 2018
Soon after the tweet, Tech Mahindra and Group Chairman Anand Mahindra acknowledged the matter, promising a thorough investigation, followed by a tweet from the Tech Mahindra, CEO, CP Gurnani.
I can categorically assure you that we celebrate diversity in our workplace. Our Code of Conduct is explicit on this subject. Fairness & dignity of the individual is enshrined in our core values.
Tech M is investigating these allegations, and appropriate action will follow… https://t.co/l5rh8VhP8L— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) September 11, 2018
Gaurav, you have my personal assurance that this will be thoroughly investigated. We remain committed to supporting and promoting a diverse workforce at TechM.
— CP Gurnani (@C_P_Gurnani) September 11, 2018
Tech Mahindra tweeted last night that Gautam was sacked with immediate effect, “arising out of an investigation carried out in the matter… At Tech Mahindra, we believe in diversity and inclusion, and condemn discrimination of any kind in the workplace.”
@gauravpramanik,arising out of an investigation carried out in the matter,the concerned employee has been separated from the employment of the company with immediate effect. At Tech Mahindra,we believe in diversity & inclusion & condemn discrimination of any kind in the workplace
— Tech Mahindra (@tech_mahindra) September 15, 2018
Reacting to Gautam’s sacking, Pramanik tweeted, “I stand vindicated. Thank you to all those who’ve been steadfastly supporting me.”
The path to my vindication hasn’t been easy over the past week. I have been abused,threatened, maligned and my character been questioned. But I knew it would have been this way all this while, and I was prepared for it to rain on me…However, I hadn’t realised how mentally exhausting all of this was. Thank you to all who have supported me steadfastly.