A 78-year-old Indian-American engineer has claimed that he was fired from his job for speaking in Hindi with a dying relative on the phone in Sept 2022.

According to reports, the employee, Anil Varshney, filed a lawsuit against his employer, Parsons Corporation, which is a missile defence contractor, and US defence secretary Lloyd Austin, alleging systemic discriminatory actions by the company.

A two-minute video call that cost him his job

He was allegedly terminated from his job wrongfully after a co-worker heard him speaking in Hindi over a conversation he was having on a video call on Sept 26, 2022. The conversation lasted approximately two minutes, during which Varshney was talking with his dying brother-in-law in India.

Anil Varshney disregards allegations against him

The suit filed by Varshney claimed that the other worker falsely and intentionally reported him for committing a security violation by revealing confidential information and/or accepting this call during a confidential meeting or with confidential information in the background of the call.

Varshney has claimed in his lawsuit that there was no such confidential or classified information anywhere near the call.

According to him, the cubicle where he accepted the video call was empty, with no office material or wall hangings in the cubicle, and there was no confidential information being exchanged nearby.

Varshney’s lawsuit demands justice

Varshney's lawsuit seeks his reinstatement to a position comparable to his former position, along with reinstatement of privileges and the revocation (or removal) of any disciplinary records in his file, said reports.

If he is not reinstated to his job level, he seeks front pay, including benefits and compensatory damages for mental anguish and emotional distress, along with punitive and liquidated damages and attorneys’ fees.

Serious claims of arm-bending by the Indian-American

The lawsuit also mentioned that he was blacklisted from working in the future, effectively ending his career and life of service to the MDA and the US government.

Varshney provided engineering support for the development of integrated and layered MDAs, which defend the US and allied partner forces against ballistic missile threats.

Parsons Corp. holds its stand

Parsons Corp denied any wrongdoing on its part in a response filed with the court on July 24 this year.

Additionally, it asked for the suit’s dismissal with prejudice and that Varshney pays its attorneys’ fees and costs, the report said.

Who is the Indian-American who lost his job despite his services?

Anil Varshney completed his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi and later moved to the US in 1968.

He worked at Parsons' Huntsville office from July 2011 to October 2022, was recognised as 'Contractor of the Year' in systems engineering, and received a letter of MDA recommendation for saving $5 m (₹41.1 cr) on the ground-based missile defence programme.

(Source: IANS)

-Edited for style

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