Kerala Left, Congress attack Sitharaman over EY employee's death

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman | (Photo: PTI)

3 minutes reading Last updated: September 23, 2024 | 4:07 p.m. IST

The ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala on Monday lashed out at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over her statement on the recent death of a young accounting professional employed by auditing major EY and demanded her apology.

Anna Sebastian Perayil, who cleared the tough chartered accountant exam in 2023 and worked for four months at Ernst and Young’s Pune office, died in July. According to a letter written by her mother to the chairman of EY India, Perayil was overworked with a “grueling” workload as a new employee that affected her “physically, emotionally and mentally”.

At an event in Chennai on Saturday, Sitharaman had, in an apparent reference to the incident, said families should teach children to handle pressure through divinity.

“What families should teach is that no matter what studies you do and what work you do, you must have the inner strength to handle that pressure and that can only be achieved through divinity.

“Believe in God, we need God’s grace. Seek God, learn right discipline. Your Atma shakti will grow only through this. Inner strength will come only with the growth of Atma shakti,” the Finance Minister had said.

Strongly criticising the Union Finance Minister’s statement, Kerala State Tourism and PWD Minister PA Mohammed Riyas said Sitharaman has become the patron of “corporate draculas” who exploit IT workers.

He noted that mental stress and deaths related to business operations were on the rise in the country’s IT sector.

“The country’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has become the patron saint of corporate draculas who exploit IT workers. From her statement, it is now clear that the Finance Minister of India has become the patron saint of these draculas. She should withdraw her statement and apologise,” Riyas said.

The Left leader also urged the Union minister to withdraw her statement and alleged that she was doing so to divert attention from the real issue.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said corporate greed killed Anna Sebastian.

“Terming Nirmala Sitharaman’s remarks as “highly condemnable”, he said: “Instead of criticising Anna’s work environment or the management, the finance minister chose to insult her parents. She advised them to learn to overcome family stress itself and pray to God.”

The senior Congress leader wondered why there was a government and laws if praying to God was the solution to all problems.

The DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M), has demanded strict implementation of existing labour laws.

Rajya Sabha MP and DYFI National President AA Rahim said corporates must be held accountable for ensuring a healthy work-life balance.

“We need better protection for employees, not just in policy but in practice. Companies must be held accountable for ensuring a healthy work-life balance. We owe it to Anna and all workers struggling under impossible expectations to make this change,” Rahim said.

DYFI called for a culture where people come first, where work does not compromise well-being and where every professional can flourish without fear of exploitation.

“Anna’s story should be the last of its kind. It’s time for business leaders to listen, reflect and act,” Rahim said.

Minister Riyas and Congress leader Chennithala met Anna Sebastian’s parents on Monday.

(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First published: September 23, 2024 | 4:07 p.m. IST