New Delhi: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharam has sparked a row with her remarks on the death of a chartered accountant allegedly due to work pressure. Sitharaman said people need inner strength to handle pressure and this can be achieved by divinity.
‘Believe in God, we need to have God’s grace’
The minister was addressing an event at a medical college in Chennai when she made these observations. While referring to 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil’s death, she said, “A woman who had studied CA was unable to cope with the work pressure. Two-three days ago, we received news – she died unable to cope with the pressure.”
She added that families should teach their children that you have to have inner strength to handle pressure, which can be achieved through divinity. “Believe in God, we need to have God’s grace. Seek God, and learn good discipline. Your Atmashakti will grow only from this. The inner strength will come only with growing Atmashakti,” she further said.
People accuses her of making insensitive remarks
The minister’s remarks sparked row with people on social media accusing her of making insensitive remarks. They also accused of not talking about toxic workplaces. Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi in a post on social media platform X accused the minister of victim shaming, asking her to be a “little sensitive”. She also added that it was long work hours and toxic work culture that took Anna’s life.
Other opposition leaders including CPI MP Sandosh Kumar and Congress leader K C Venugopal also accused the Union minister of “belittling and demeaning everyday struggles of working people across the country”.
Anna Sebastian Perayil’s death has sparked a debate on the toxic workplaces and how these are affecting the employees, including their physical and emotional wellbeing. It came to light after her mother wrote a letter to Ernst & Young India chairman Rajiv Memani and flagged a work culture that “seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human being behind the role”. Anna died just four month after joining the company.
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