EY employee death: Nirmala Sitharaman clarifies remark amid outrage, says 'no victim shaming'

NEW DELHI: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday responded to accusations of "victim shaming" as the opposition criticised her remarks on the death of 26-year-old chartered accountant. Anna Sebastian Perayil reportedly died due to extreme work pressure at Ernst & Young (EY). Reacting to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi's accusation, Sitharaman clarified that "in no way victim shaming was done nor intended, even remotely".
As the outrage over Sitharaman's remarks at an event in Tamil Nadu grew, Chaturvedi took to X and accused Sitharaman of insensitivity. "Dear Nirmala Sitharaman ji, Anna had inner strength to handle the stress that came with pursuing a gruelling Chartered Accountancy degree. It was the toxic work culture and 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," she wrote.

Sitharaman clarified that she had "specifically mentioned that after clearing a demanding and rigorous examination such as CA, the stress on her was unbearable".
"I referred to this matter in a talk at a deemed university near Chennai. I specifically mentioned that after clearing a rigorous examination like CA, the stress became unbearable for her. No names were taken, neither of the lady nor the firm. I was speaking about the importance of building inner strength for students in such demanding environments," she explained on X.
She also emphasised that her comments were about the need for institutions and families to offer better support to young professionals. "With a sense of grief over the tragic loss, I highlighted the importance of institutions and families to support children, and in no way was victim shaming done nor intended," Sitharaman wrote.

She further noted that the Union labour ministry had already assured a thorough investigation into the alleged exploitative work culture at EY, which is said to have contributed to Anna's untimely death.
Anna's death sparked a debate on work-life balance after a letter written by her mother to the company went viral.
Anna’s father, Sibi Joseph, also spoke about the challenging work conditions his daughter faced at EY. “She had to work late into the night, and even after reaching her PG (paying guest accommodation), she had to continue with additional work that wasn’t even related to her job,” he said. He revealed that Anna struggled to sleep and eat due to the intense work pressure and often cried during phone calls, saying she couldn't handle the overwhelming stress.
Despite her family urging her to resign, Anna chose to continue at EY, citing the valuable exposure she was gaining. However, tragedy struck on July 21 when she collapsed in her room and died.