I sent the message detailing the incident with Manorama Joshi on Dec. 10, 2018. I sent it to Rajesh Verma (Co-Chairman/CFO) , Dr. Romesh K. Japra (Chairman) , and Deepak chhabra ( Gen.Sec/ Event Chair) . Neither responded by Dec. 18. I visited the temple on the 18, hoping to address it before the board meeting that the front desk person (who refused to give his name) said happens at 6pm on Tuesdays. Rajesh and Deepak were there.
Here is my recording of what transpired: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30E5kh4a00E
The following messages summarize what happened.
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(Sent Dec. 18, 2018)
Hi Rajesh
I'm writing to follow up on our conversation this evening. As we discussed, the incident where your fellow board member harassed me was Dec. 5th this year (2018) and I just mistyped in my original letter.
The main reason I requested a formal written acknowledgment of her behavior and the incident is because you, and to some extent Deepak as well, couched your statements and "apologies" about the incident in doubt. For example, you repeatedly said "if" it happened without accounting for any facts or statements. You At the same time, you kept trying to defend the situation and Manorama, again, without accounting for any facts or statements reported. Furthermore, it's easy to simply "sweep it under the rug" by being informal in the moment. Finally, throughout the conversation there was minimal effort on your part to listen to me and account for my experience. Instead you kept minimizing the incident and speaking to me in a condescending manner such as in several instances stating that "there's nothing to be upset about" or "it's over" (while yourself acting in a dismissive condescending manner)...
Both of you were defensive from the very start, making minimal effort to actually listen, understand, and address me or the problem at hand. You yourself started defending before we even left the front desk, stating "no one can harass you, you're too tall." Based on your defensiveness in the absence of directly related facts or statements, the dismissive way you spoke to me (and about the incident), and your lack of earnest effort investigate and directly address the issue, I don't have confidence in your informal apology.
You asked me what you could do to best remedy the situation. I'll repeat my answer here. Do the following in good faith and honesty with yourself, earnestly seeking the truth of what happened. Talk to the witnesses as mentioned in my initial letter (Siya, and Pavan). Review your security recordings. Then, talk to your fellow board member, Manorama, if you haven't already. Finally, address the facts of the incident and what you've done to remedy it on the organizational level.
Regards
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P.S. There's no reason you can't talk to Manorama soon (not next year as you stated), even if it's just by telephone. Furthermore, Christmas isn't a Hindu holiday so that's not a reason for not talking to her sooner either, neither do "the holidays" preclude you from talking to Pavan or Siya. Also, I sent my original complaint to you, Deepak, as well as Dr. Romesh K. Japra who is noted on the Temple website as the Chairman.
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(Received the same evening, Jan. 18, 2018)
Hi Gary,
As said earlier, we will investigate this matter very seriously and take necessary corrective action(s) as deemed to be required.
Thanks for pointing out the matter.
Rajesh
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(Sent Feb. 10, 2019)
Hi.
It's been one month since I contacted you concerning your fellow board member's abuse towards me. Rajesh and Deepak, especially Rajesh only added insult to injury in dismissing my pain and grievance, making baseless excuses for Manorama ("Monaji" as you call her), being defensive without even addressing the stated facts, and getting aggressive and angry with me when I asked for concrete actions and details. In brushing me off and dragging your feet, presumably with no intention of doing anything meaningful, you've only further caused me harm.
I'm tired of waiting for any sort of earnest, honest reasonable response from you. You have shown that you are clearly incapable of that. You pretend to actually believe in the tradition, teachings, and deities that place represents. Clearly you don't. I hope all of you involved reap fruit fitting to your actions, words, and attitudes towards me and anyone else you've treated or looked upon with your contemptuous, ignorant, prejudiced, racist, arrogant spirit. My sense is that Karma isn't a linear equation. However I hope that will be linear for Rajesh, Deepak, Manorama, and all who are aligned with you and your actions thus far in this spirit. I hope Karma behaves linearly for you to the degree that it helps you repent.
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As of March 8, 2019, there has been no follow up from Fremont Hindu Temple.