New Delhi: A 78-year-old Indian-American engineer was terminated from his long-standing position with a missile defense contractor in Alabama, USA, after using Hindi during a video call with his dying relative in India. The engineer, Anil Varshney, who worked as a Senior Systems Engineer for Parsons Corporation, filed a federal lawsuit accusing the company of discriminatory actions that resulted in his job loss in October of the previous year.
According to the lawsuit filed in June in the northern district of Alabama, a white colleague overheard Varshney speaking in Hindi with his brother-in-law in India, who was on his deathbed. Realizing the urgency of the situation and wanting to say his final goodbyes, Varshney took the call in an empty cubicle while ensuring no classified materials or sensitive work-related items were nearby. The conversation lasted only two minutes when another coworker interrupted, questioning whether Varshney was on a video call, to which he confirmed. Feeling intimidated by the use of an unfamiliar language, the coworker reported that Varshney breached security protocols by revealing confidential information during a confidential meeting.
Despite no existing policy prohibiting such calls, the defendants immediately terminated Varshney's employment, effectively ending his career and future prospects with the Missile Defence Agency (MDA). The lawsuit further mentioned that Parsons blacklisted him from any potential MDA work.
Varshney seeks reinstatement to a comparable position, restoration of privileges, and the removal of any disciplinary records from his file. If not reinstated, he requests front pay with benefits. Additionally, he seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress, along with punitive and liquidated damages and coverage of attorney fees.
In response, Parsons denied any wrongdoing and requested the dismissal of the lawsuit with prejudice, demanding Varshney to cover their attorneys' fees and costs. The case is ongoing, and no further comments have been provided by Parsons' representative as of the date of the report.
Anil Varshney, who immigrated to the US in 1968 and became an American citizen, has a commendable track record as a systems engineer and received recognition for his contributions to missile defense systems. He played an essential role in developing integrated and layered missile defense systems, safeguarding the US and its allied partners against ballistic missile threats. His wife, Sashi, has been employed at NASA since 1989.
