TMC MP Mahua Moitra urged SN Subrahmanyan to ‘get a life’ on Friday evening amid continued outrage over his call for 90 hour weeks and working Sundays. Political leaders across party lines have criticised the Larsen and Toubro chairman this week after his comments went viral on social media.
“Danish engineers Larsen & Toubro founded L&T in 1938. Today Denmark ranks 3rd globally in work life balance, 9th in GDP/capita & averages 34 hrs worked/wk. Get a life Mr. Chairman,” she wrote on X.
The remarks have also re-ignited the work-life balance debate that began in 2024 after Narayan Murthy endorsed a 70 hour work week.
“How long can you stare at your wife? I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays,” Subrahmanyan can be heard saying in the undated clip.
Meanwhile BJP MP and trade leader Praveen Khandelwal criticised Subrahmanyan for his “highly impractical” stance and “blatant disregard” for human dignity and work-life balance. He also lauded actor Deepika Padukone for speaking out on the matter and highlighting the importance of mental health.
“We cannot regress to a culture that treats workers as mere machines. Every individual, whether in the corporate sector or self-employed, deserves a balanced life where personal and professional aspirations coexist,” he said.
Similar sentiments were also voiced by Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and CPIML (Liberation) MP Raja Ram Singh. The latter also wrote to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday, asking him to penalise labour laws violations.
Singh also quoted a statement by Infosys Co-founder Narayana Murthy advocating a 70-hour workweek in his letter. He also noted that other business leaders — including Bhavish Aggarwal of Ola and Sajjan Jindal of Jindal Steel Works — had publicly supported such proposals.
(With inputs from agencies)