Thread by @thatdoggonelady

I've been agonising about whether to come out and name this person. I wanted be very sure I could handle the reactions that will come my way. I think I am now ready.
This is my story about CP Surendran, and how DNA ruined due process for me.

https://twitter.com/thatdoggonelady/status/1048106288771678213

My SH complaint was against CP, who was then Executive Editor of DNA. I was a member of the features team. At the outset I want to mention, he didn't physically harass me but he did it to many others around me (I've been witness)+ he made the most sexist and misogynist comments.

Some examples: he used to take special interest in attending Sunday features team (we were all girls, one male reporter and our de fact editor was a woman) meetings asking us to think of ideas like 'the weirdest places people have had sex'.

Regarding his friend Tejpal (after the SH case was filed), he suggested writing about the rights of the accused and told us not to judge TT. He thought Tejpal was stupid to have done it in a public place when he could've easily used a hotel room where there were no cameras.

Reg the Shakti Mills gangrape, he spoke about how it was the woman's fault - why did she have to go to a secluded area to make out with her boyfriend?
With TT victim too, he mentioned how she liked older woman.
He was talking to a room full of women, mind you.

Regarding what I was witness to: he had a dirty habit of coming over and massaging people's shoulders (women, of course) and patting them. Their discomfort was evident on their faces but he didn't seem to notice/care. He once told a colleague her perfume was distracting him.

I've heard stories about him caressing people's fingers and holding their hands. He asked a colleague who was wearing long pants (she had worn shorts once before because her knee was injured), why we weren't seeing her legs anymore.

At another meeting he referred to our boyfriends as dogs and said we should have a Bring your pet to work day where we can all bring our boyfriends to office on a leash.
He has invited at least three colleagues over for drinks at his place (alone).

FYI, I did complain to our de fact editor (a senior journalist, still in DNA) about these statements and her response was to it was the classic 'I've known him for years, he doesn't mean what he says. Just dismiss it'.
I couldn't.

There are many other instances but those aren't my stories to tell.
But, I will tell you about how DNA treats its women employees. This happened at a time when media was introspecting about SH and talking about setting up a Vishakha Committee or a SH complaints cell.

Our HR created a VC, called all women (I don't think the men had this meeting) for a town hall where they spoke about what constitutes SH and how to complain and how everything said would be confidential. So far so good. I knew I wanted to complain.

I did. I made a verbal complaint to the HR head (Gitanjali Pandit), another senior editor whom I knew personally, and a supportive friend from the team (@YoshitaSengupta, she's ok with being named). I went into detail about everything. I was promised an investigation, 'action'.

Here's what happened: a few days later, CP calls the only man in our team and asked him what my problem was with him [CP] and why did I make a complaint. This colleague called and told me about it. I remember going to work shaking with fury and in tears because of this betrayal.

To make things worse, the whole office knew. I had a person on the city desk come to talk to me, pause mid sentence and take two steps back jokingly saying: I should be careful of standing too close. 'Who know, you will make a complaint against me'. It became a joke.

Obviously I couldn't work there anymore/ didn't want to. My obvious disinterest meant I was called into a meeting with CP and my other boss. I said I wanted to quit, they accepted it. I put in my papers, the next day HR tells me I could leave immediately.

My notice period was waived off. I didn't get my salary that month and wasn't eligible for my 2 months notice payment. Two days after I quit, I was without a job or money or backup plan.
Before leaving, I sent another email to Gitanjali and Bhaskar Das.
I never got a response.

This is it. This is my story, it's a bit long so apologies for that. I wanted to be very clear. The only proof I have is that email I sent and the testimony of a friend who was present at that meeting.
But let's be clear about this. Everybody knew what a creep he was/is.

I'm grateful for all the support I got at the time: people like @tajmahalfoxtrot and Tinaz Nooshian who offered help with freelancing gigs; @zee_talk who gave me a job at HT a year later and who believed me when I told her the story of how I was kicked out.

I've always wanted to come out and say this publicly but senior friends/ mentors warned me against it because it could harm my career.
Now, I have the support to help me fight this.

@dna I'm not letting a former employee ruin your 'good name'. You've aided such behaviour.Do you have a committee to address SH complaints? Do your employees know about it?
Look at your city + sports team. Check with HR about complaints already made. Then talk to me.