Sitharaman suggests 'stress management lessons' after EY employee's death; criticized
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called for the inclusion of "stress management lessons" in educational institutions, following the recent death of a young chartered accountant (CA) employed with Ernst & Young (EY), on Sunday. The minister made these remarks during an event at a college in Chennai. She emphasized that even if educational institutions provide quality education and job opportunities, they should also teach certain life skills typically imparted within families.
Woman died unable to cope with the pressure: Sitharaman
"I was discussing an issue that has been in newspapers for the past two days. Our children go to colleges and universities for education and come out with flying colors," the finance minister said. "A company, without mentioning its name, its a partnership. There, a woman who had studied CA well, unable to cope with the work pressure, three days ago, we received news--she died, unable to cope with the pressure," she told students.
Sitharaman advocates for spirituality in education
Sitharaman suggested that the ability to handle pressure can be developed through spirituality. "Believe in God, we need to have God's grace. Seek God, and learn good discipline. Your Atma shakti will grow only from this," she said. She further stated that educational institutions should incorporate elements of divinity and spirituality into their curricula to help students develop inner strength, which she believes is crucial for personal growth and national progress.
Congress criticizes Sitharaman's remarks
Sitharaman's comments have drawn criticism from the Congress party. "The ruling regime and the finance minister can only see the pain of corporate giants like Adani and Ambani, not the pain of the hardworking and toiling young generation," wrote K C Venugopal, Congress general secretary (Organization), on X. He described Sitharaman's suggestion that stress management should be learned at home as "downright cruel" and accused her of victim-blaming.
Anna's death sparks debate on corporate practices
The death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a CA from Kerala working at EY Pune, has sparked a nationwide debate on corporate work culture. Perayil died of cardiac arrest on June 20, which her mother attributes to excessive workload and poor work environment at the company. In an open letter, Perayil's mother described her daughter's struggles with anxiety and sleeplessness due to overwhelming work pressure.
Government to investigate EY's work environment
Following public outcry over Perayil's death, the Centre has announced an investigation into the work environment at EY. Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, stated that action will be taken based on the findings of this investigation. Meanwhile, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has proposed legislation to enforce a fixed calendar for all workplaces, limiting work to eight hours a day and five days a week.
