Even as employees of India Inc are yet to come out of the shock of the young CA’s death… Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's remarks have sparked a row.
The minister has said people need inner strength to handle pressure and this can only be achieved by divinity.
Several social media users, including leaders from the Opposition, have termed the remarks insensitive.
Addressing an event at a Chennai medical college, Ms Sitharaman referred to Anna Sebastian Perayil's death without mentioning Ernst & Young, where she was working. "Our children go to colleges and universities for education and come out with flying colours. A company, without mentioning its name, it's a partnership. There, a woman who had studied CA well (was) unable to cope with the work pressure. Two-three days ago, we received news -- she died unable to cope with the pressure," she said.
"What should families teach -- whatever you study and the job you do, you should have the inner strength to handle that pressure and this can be achieved through divinity only," she said. "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," the Finance Minister added.
"Educational institutions should bring in divinity and spirituality. Then only will our children get the inner strength, it will help in their progress and that of the country. That is my strong belief," the minister had said, according to news agency reports.
The remarks sparked a row, with social media users accusing the Finance Minister of making insensitive remarks without addressing the issue of toxic workplaces.
Hitting out at Sitharaman’s comments, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), said, “Dear Nirmala Sitaraman ji, Anna had (the) inner strength to handle the stress that came with pursuing a gruelling Chartered Accountancy degree. It was the toxic work culture, long work hours that took away her life which needs to be addressed. Stop victim shaming and at least try to be a little sensitive, am sure god will be the guide if you seek."
As the tragic and untimely death has triggered a crucial debate about toxic workplace cultures and the issue of overwork in corporate India, the incident has not only shocked many but also sparked numerous conversations about the treatment of employees in the workplace. It highlights the urgent need to address concerns regarding mental health, employee well-being, and the normalisation of working hours.
Absence of labour protections and workplace stress have long been a matter of concern in India. As per data from the international Labour Organisation, 51 per cent of India’s workforce logs over 49 hours a week. This places India only second to Bhutan for employees working extended hours.
A report by the Confederation of Indian Industries and the digital healthcare platform MediBuddy, released in July, showed that nearly 62 per cent of Indian employees experienced stress and burnout from work.
According to the Factories Act of 1948 and the Minimum Wages Act of 1948, laws which deal with the working hours of an employee and overtime rules in India, respectively, if someone works for more than eight to nine hours a day, or over 48 hours a week, they are entitled to double the payment for the extra hours.
COUNTRY
Average number of
working hours in a week
Bhutan 54.4
UAE 50.9
Congo 48.6
Qatar 48
Mauritania 47.6
Lebanon 47.6
Jordan 47
India 46.7
Pakistan 46.9
Macau 46
China 46.1
· As per date from ILO
Meanwhile, the Union Labour Ministry on Thursday while expressing sorrow
over the loss, officially announced an investigation into the matter.
Shobha Karandlaje, a member of the BJP and Minister of State for Labour, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a post that said, "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. A thorough investigation into the allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is underway. We are committed to ensuring justice, and the Labour Ministry has officially taken up the complaint. @mansukhmandviya."
Her post was in response to BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who in an X post stated, "Anna's death is unfortunate but also disturbing on many levels," and called for an immediate probe into allegations of an exploitative work environment at EY India.
This follows a letter from Anna’s mother addressed to Ernst & Young’s Chairman, Rajiv Memani. In the letter, she detailed her plight, saying her daughter passed away within four months of joining EY. She urged the company’s leadership to transform the work culture which glorifies overwork while disregarding the human being behind the role.
"I am writing this letter as a grieving mother who has lost her precious child, Anna Sebastian Perayil. My heart is heavy, and my soul is shattered as I pen these words, but I believe it is necessary to share our story in the hope that no other family will have to endure the pain we are going through," the letter read.
In her letter, Anna's mother recalled her daughter as vibrant, full of dreams, and excited about her career at EY. However, she said her daughter’s tragic demise crumbled her world altogether. She highlighted how the “backbreaking work,” stress, and unrealistic expectations took a severe toll on Anna’s mental and physical health.
Anna’s mother also emphasized the importance of a healthy work-life balance: “It is time to reflect on the work culture within your organization and take meaningful steps to prioritize the health and wellness of your employees. This means creating an environment where employees feel safe speaking up, are supported in managing their workload, and where productivity does not compromise mental and physical health."
India's corporate sector, like many others globally, has seen rapid transformation and growth. Unfortunately with this, toxic work culture also became a part of the workplace.
Let’s look at some of the key reasons which have given rise to the scenario…
Causes of toxic work culture: Hierarchical Structures often stifle open communication and innovation. Employees may feel hesitant/cowed down fearing suspension etc to voice their opinions or challenge authority.
Pressure to perform: The relentless and unending targets and deadlines leads to excessive stress and burnout among employees.
Gender dynamics: Gender inequality remains a pervasive issue in many Indian workplaces, with women often facing discrimination, harassment, and unequal opportunities.
Almost absence of work-life balance: Exceeding long working hours, lack of weekends and also no holidays in certain sectors on even National Holidays and the continuous slog and a lack of family life and bringing home work pressure and work have become a part and parcel of the corporate culture.
This imbalance between work and personal life leads to (employee) disinterest in everything, depression and feeling of running out of time on life… and these have a negative outcome on the family/personal lives while it also hampers productivity.
(Writer is a Senior journalist and former senior associate editor, O Heraldo, Goa)