Anand Mahindra’s Mahindra Group released a statement Monday evening after one of the employees issued “rape and murder threats” to a Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha. The threats were posted as a comment on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP’s Facebook post. The MP took a screenshot of the threats directed at her and posted it on her social media accounts, tagging several people, including PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, and Mahindra Group Chair Anand Mahindra.

She began her post with the words: “Dear PMO India,” stating that her post was meant for “necessary information and action”. 

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“A worker of the Mahindra Company, Nasik, as well as a BJP worker, openly threatens a woman MP to rape and kill,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter), before adding, “If this is the situation, imagine what happens to the unprivileged women of Odisha!”

She then attached screenshots of the threats by a Mahindra company’s employee made on her Facebook post, along with his Facebook profile and picture.

Mahindra on Monday issued a statement saying that it follows a “zero tolerance” policy and assured that they have been investigating the allegations with “utmost seriousness”, and that if they come out to be true, strict action would be taken against the employee. 

“We have been made aware of certain undignified and highly inappropriate messages allegedly made by one of our employees towards a political leader on Facebook,” the statement read. 

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It underscored, “Mahindra has zero tolerance for any form of misconduct, intimidation, or threats,” and added that the group places “human dignity” in very high regard and upholds an “environment of respect, with no tolerance for any breaches of these principles”. 

The company further assured: “We take this matter with utmost seriousness and have initiated an immediate investigation. Should the allegations be validated, strict action will be taken in accordance with our code of conduct and values.”

‘Want to end rapist mentality’

The MP took a screenshot of the Mahindra Group’s statement and posted it on Facebook, saying, “Today, Mahindra Group has asked to take action against the worker and BJP worker Satyabrata Nayak, who gave indecent comments to me. Let’s see what happens.”

She added that if authorities don’t take a suo motu cognisance, then she would have to file a formal complaint with the Delhi Police.

“My fight against the rapist mentality will continue from Delhi to Palli. Only if this mentality is removed will women be able to roam in peace, which is what Gandhiji wanted,” she added. 

She also expressed gratitude towards people who stood in solidarity with her. 

What has happened?

Deo shared the video statement of the Balangir victim, who was shifted to AIIMS and later died of burn injuries at the New Delhi hospital on August 2. She wrote, “The Deputy Chief Minister, who was hiding the murderer, should now say: ‘Where has that murderer gone?’” 

She went on to demand the resignations of Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. She said that the two “did not even pay heed to Soumyashree’s complaint”.

The video shows the victim giving her statement to what appears to be a medical staff as someone else records them both. She recounts that two men, their faces covered, approached her on a motorcycle while she was standing on the road after returning a book. They then doused her with kerosene. The recording cuts off abruptly after about a minute and a half.

Responding to this post, Facebook user Satyabrata Nayak, who is associated with the BJP and is employed by Mahindra, wrote, “Sulata Deo ko target karo rape kariba painee [Target Sulata Deo and rape her.]”

He didn’t stop there and dropped another comment, “Sulata Deo tote rape and murder kariba darkar [Sulata Deo, you need to be raped and murdered.]”