Tech Mahindra denies religious bias claims amid wider scrutiny on IT workplace practices

Tech Mahindra has rejected allegations of religious bias within its offices, calling viral social media claims “inaccurate and unfounded” after conducting an internal review.

The controversy was triggered by a post on X by Bombay High Court advocate Ashutosh Dubey, who alleged that the company had declared an office pantry a “Footwear-Free Zone” during Ramzan to facilitate prayers and iftar, and that “colleagues [were] asked to follow it in the name of ‘unity’.”

Responding to the claims, a Tech Mahindra spokesperson said, “This is with reference to recent social media posts alleging religious bias within Tech Mahindra. We take such concerns seriously and conducted an internal review, which found these claims to be inaccurate and unfounded.”

The company added, “We confirm that the image titled ‘Footwear Free Zone’ is not from any of our offices, and the anonymous post regarding hiring practices is false.”

Reiterating its internal values, the company said, “At Tech Mahindra, we are firmly committed to building an inclusive, respectful workplace where every individual is treated with dignity and fairness, without discrimination of any kind, including on the basis of religion.”

The company added that it would “continue to review our policies and processes to ensure that our values are upheld consistently, and that no coercive or inappropriate conduct is permitted or carried out in any manner whatsoever.”

The viral message had also alleged bias in hiring, uneven enforcement of workplace rules and preferential treatment during religious occasions at the company’s Goregaon campus, while raising concerns about the role of a human resources official.

Sector under spotlight after TCS, Infosys incidents

The development comes at a time when workplace conduct and employee safety in India’s IT sector are under heightened scrutiny following recent controversies at Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys.

At TCS, a case at its Nashik campus involving allegations of sexual harassment and forced religious conversion is currently under investigation. Police have said complaints from eight women employees point to incidents between February 2022 and March 2026, including accusations of inappropriate behaviour and alleged inaction by the human resources department.

Separately, Infosys recently reiterated its stance after social media posts alleged harassment at its Pune BPM unit. In a statement, the company said, “Infosys maintains a zero-tolerance approach to any form of harassment or discrimination and is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, positive, and respectful workplace in all jurisdictions in which it operates.”

It added that “any issue that is reported is treated seriously and investigated by an independent committee,” highlighting its “well-established policies and robust mechanisms” and a “speak-up culture” to encourage employees to report concerns.