After TCS and Infosys, Tech Mahindra in row over alleged religious bias; issues statement on ‘Footwear Free Zone’ viral image

After Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), another IT firm has found itself at the centre of a controversy over workplace practices. This time, Tech Mahindra faced online backlash after an image titled ‘Footwear Free Zone’ went viral.

Responding to the claims, Tech Mahindra denied allegations of religious bias and a divisive workplace culture at its Goregaon office in Mumbai. The company said an internal review found the accusations circulating on social media to be “inaccurate and unfounded.”

The firm also underlined its commitment to inclusivity. “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 statement said. It added that policies and processes would continue to be reviewed to ensure company values are upheld and no coercive or inappropriate conduct takes place.



The controversy erupted after a screenshot of a post on X by Ashutosh J Dubey went viral. Dubey, an advocate at the Bombay High Court, went viral. Dubey claimed he received a message from a girl employee at Tech Mahindra office as per which the notice in pantry declared “Footwear-Free Zone” till Ramzan for prayers and Iftar.

What happened in TCS

The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of IT companies following allegations at TCS’s Nashik unit, which triggered a police probe. Employees at the Nashik office were asked to work from home after allegations of sexual harassment and religious coercion surfaced.

Police in Nashik have since expanded their investigation, reaching out to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and state intelligence units over concerns flagged on social media regarding possible extremist links or foreign funding.

Officials said nine FIRs have been registered based on employee complaints, including charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and attempts at religious coercion. So far, six employees and one assistant general manager have been arrested, while another accused woman remains absconding.

Investigators added that some of the accused held supervisory roles and allegedly targeted junior employees. The recurrence of certain names across multiple complaints has also raised the possibility of a coordinated pattern of behaviour within the office.

Infosys Row

On Wednesday, Infosys issued a formal response to social media allegations of workplace harassment at its Business Process Management (BPM) facility in Pune.

The controversy emerged after a series of posts on X accused employees at the Pune office of inappropriate behaviour towards female colleagues. Although the posts were later deleted, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane said the state government has taken note of the claims, according to ANI.

In its statement, Infosys reiterated its “zero-tolerance” stance on harassment and discrimination. The company said any complaint is treated seriously and examined by an independent committee.

“Infosys maintains a zero-tolerance approach to any form of harassment or discrimination. Any issue reported is treated seriously and investigated by an independent committee. We encourage a ‘speak-up’ culture for employees to report any concern,” the company said.

It added that internal mechanisms and multi-channel preventive programmes have been activated to review the matter, in line with its global Code of Conduct.

“Any issue that is reported is treated seriously and investigated by an independent committee, as per our robust processes. In addition, there are proactive multi-channel preventive programs, including a ‘speak-up’ culture that encourages employees to report any concern,” the statement added.