'Learn good discipline': FM Nirmala Sitharaman on EY employee death, Congress reacts; check details

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (September 22) urged educational institutions to incorporate stress management lessons into their curricula to help students build inner strength. Sitharaman’s remarks followed the tragic death of 26-year-old Chartered Accountant (CA) Anna Sebastian Perayil, who was employed at the Pune office of Ernst & Young (EY), a leading global accounting firm. Perayil, who had passed her CA exams in 2023, reportedly died in July due to the overwhelming workload, according to her mother’s letter addressed to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani.

Speaking at an event at a private medical college, Sitharaman referenced the incident without directly naming the victim or the company. "There was a recent incident widely reported in the news, where a young woman, a CA, passed away due to work pressure. It’s a partnership firm, and she could not cope with the demands," the Finance Minister said.

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Sitharaman stressed that while colleges and universities prepare students academically and help secure jobs through campus placements, they should also focus on teaching life skills that foster resilience. She highlighted the importance of spirituality and divine belief as tools to strengthen inner resolve. “No matter how much we learn in school or the kind of job we get, inner strength is key to handling pressure, and this comes through growing Atma Shakti (soul power), which can only be achieved through divinity,” she added.

Sitharaman’s remarks were met with criticism, particularly from senior Congress leader KC Venugopal, who accused the Finance Minister of victim-blaming. Venugopal expressed his outrage in a post on X (formerly Twitter), calling her comments "outright cruel." He criticized the government’s perceived indifference towards the exploitation of young professionals in the corporate world, stating that freshers like Anna are often overworked by "greedy corporate systems."

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Venugopal further attacked the government for its alleged focus on corporate giants, claiming they fail to address the hardships faced by ordinary working individuals. "It is heartless for the finance minister to imply that Anna and her family should have learned stress management at home. This is despicable victim-blaming, and it adds insult to injury," Venugopal wrote.

• EY employee
• Finance Minister
• Nirmala Sitharaman
• Union Finance Minister
• EY employee death
• Congress
• KC Venugopal