"No Victim Shaming": Nirmala Sitharaman On Row Over Remark On CA's Death

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has responded to the massive row surrounding her remarks on the death of a 26-year-old chartered accountant working with Ernst & Young, allegedly due to work pressure.

Ms Sitharaman had 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, termed the remarks insensitive.

The minister has now responded to Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (UBT), who had flagged the Finance Minister's remarks and accused her of victim-shaming.

"Had referred to this matter in a talk delivered in Tamil at a deemed University on the outskirts of Chennai. Had specifically mentioned that after clearing a demanding and rigorous examination such as CA, the stress on her was unbearable. No names were taken, neither of the lady nor of the firm," Ms Sitharaman said in her response to Ms Chaturvedi's post on X.

"The University has set up a Meditation Hall and a place of worship for all its students and faculty. It is in this context that I spoke on how it is necessary to build inner strength for students. With a sense of grief over the tragic loss, I highlighted the importance of institutions and families to support the children, and in no way victim shaming was done nor intended, even remotely," she added.

The Finance Minister also underlined that the Union Labour Ministry has assured a thorough investigation into the allegations of an exploitative work environment leading to the death of Anna Sebastian Perivayil.

The Finance Minister, in her remarks at the deemed university, had said the 26-year-old who studied CA was unable to cope with the work pressure.

"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," she was quoted as saying, according to a PTI report.

The remarks sparked a row, with many social media users terming them insensitive.

Priyanka Chaturvedi said in a post on X, "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."

Anna Sebastian Perayil's death has sparked a nationwide conversation on how toxic workplaces are affecting the well-being of employees.

The matter came to light after Anna's mother Anita Augustine wrote to Ernst & Young India Chairman Rajiv Memani and said her daughter had died just four months after she joined the company and flagged a work culture that "seems to glorify overwork while neglecting the very human being behind the role".

"Anna would return to her room utterly exhausted, sometimes collapsing on the bed without even changing her clothes, only to be bombarded with messages asking for more reports. She was putting in her best efforts, working very hard to meet the deadlines. She was a fighter to the core, not someone to give up easily. We told her to quit, but she wanted to learn and gain new exposure. However, the overwhelming pressure proved too much even for her," she wrote.

Ernst & Young India has said it was deeply saddened by Anna's death and was taking the family's correspondence with the "utmost seriousness and humility". In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Mr Memani said, "I am deeply saddened and as a father, I can only imagine Ms Augustine's grief. I have conveyed my deepest condolences to the family, although nothing can fill the void in their lives. I would like to affirm that the well-being of our people is my top-most priority and I will personally champion this objective. I am absolutely committed to nurturing a harmonious workplace, and I will not rest until that objective is accomplished."