Indian-origin techie who disrupted Microsoft event explains why she quit

Agrawal publicly resigned from the company during its 50th anniversary event last week, accusing Microsoft cloud and AI of enabling "the Israeli military to be more lethal and destructive in Gaza"

Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-origin software engineer of the Microsoft’s AI division, has been at the centre of attention for her protest during the company’s 50th anniversary event last week over its ties with the Israeli government. While defending her actions, Agrawal publicly resigned from the company.

 

“Microsoft cloud and AI enable the Israeli military to be more lethal and destructive in Gaza. It is undeniable that Microsoft’s Azure cloud offerings and AI developments form the technological backbone of Israel’s automated apartheid and genocide systems,” she wrote in a mass email to her fellow colleagues soon after she protested in front of the CEO.

 

Protest during Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event

 

During Microsoft's 50th anniversary event, Agrawal stood up and began yelling at Satya Nadella, Steve Ballmer, and Bill Gates. She was protesting for Microsoft’s business dealings with the government of Israel amid an ongoing war in Gaza.

 

“Shame on you all. You’re all hypocrites," said Agrawal, while some people in the crowd started to say. “50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood. Cut ties with Israel."

 

She then spoke about No Azure for Apartheid, the group that organised the protests happening both inside and outside the event. This group has been part of an ongoing movement by some Microsoft employees.

 

Agrawal on why she protested and resigned

 

In that email, Agrawal explained in detail why she has chosen to take such a step despite knowing the consequences of her actions.

 

“A year and a half ago, I joined Microsoft just as I started to witness the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people by Israel, which started in 1948. I’ve seen unspeakable suffering amidst Israel’s mass human rights violations - indiscriminate carpet bombings, the targeting of hospitals and schools, and the continuation of an apartheid state - all of which have been condemned globally by the UN, ICC, and ICJ, and numerous human rights organisations. And as I write this, Israel has broken the ceasefire and resumed its full-scale genocide in Gaza. Just days ago, it was revealed that Israel killed fifteen paramedics and rescue workers in Gaza, executing them “one by one,” before burying them in the sand - yet another horrific war crime. Meanwhile, our labor powers this genocide, and I cannot, in good conscience, be part of a company that participates in this violent injustice,” Agrawal cited in her email as the primary reason of stepping away from Microsoft’s job.

 

Agrawal further raised questions on young techies’ association with such companies.

 

“All this begs the question, which ‘people’ are we empowering with our technology? The oppressors enforcing an apartheid regime? The war criminals committing a genocide? Unfortunately, at this point, it’s irrefutable that Microsoft is complicit - they are a digital weapons manufacturer that powers surveillance, apartheid, and genocide.  And by working for this company, we are all complicit,” she said in the email.

 

Going further, she asked all her colleagues to resign from the company in protest over its ties with Israel. “This is why, just before I handed in my resignation, I signed this important petition to demand Microsoft cut ties with genocide. And I urge you all to do the same,” she wrote further.

 

Incidents of employee protests against their companies

 

In recent months, workers at big tech companies like Google and Microsoft have spoken out against their employers' business deals with the Israeli government.

 

For example, according to a report by AP, in 2024, Google fired 28 employees who took part in sit-in protests at offices in New York and California. These protests were against Project Nimbus — a $1.2 billion cloud contract with the Israeli government — which some employees believed could support human rights violations against Palestinians. A group called No Tech for Apartheid helped organise the protests. Google said the firings were because the employees broke company rules by disrupting the workplace.

 

In other instances, outside the tech world, even staff at the Glasgow Film Theatre in Scotland demanded a boycott of Disney and other companies they believe support Israel.

 

Over 50,000 Palestinians killed

 

As of April 7, the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has intensified following the collapse of a ceasefire in March.

 

Israel has expanded its military operations, seizing over 50 per cent of Gaza's territory and establishing extensive buffer zones, displacing thousands of Palestinians.

 

The humanitarian situation has deteriorated significantly as over 50,423 Palestinians have been killed with nearly a third being children, since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, according to the Gaza health ministry.