'L&T Chairman Should Leave...': Mallikarjun Kharge Cites Nehru, Ambedkar To Disagree With '90-Hour Workweek' Remark
Date
1/15/2025 6:16:07 AM
(MENAFN- Live Mint) congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed disagreement over L&T (Larson & Turbo) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan's remark advocating a 90-hour workweek, as he remembered Jawaharlal Nehru and BR Ambedkar, who, he said, championed the eight-hour working day. Mallikarjun Kharge also suggested that L&T chairman should 'leave that view [of 90-hour workweek]'.
Addressing party leaders after the inauguration of the Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road in New Delhi, Mallikarjun Kharge lauded the work done by L&T construction in constructing the new party headquarters while asserting that he does not agree with the 90-hour workweek remark.
“I would like to thank L&T construction...some dues are also left from our side,” Mallikarjun Kharge said, erupting laughter among the attendees and added,“I would like to thank L&T construction, architects, labourers involved in the construction. While I thank the company, but the company's CEO has made a remark of working 90 hours in a week. I don't agree with that.”
“A labourer works for eight hours and gets tired and that is why Nehru and Ambedkar had stated while making factory act that workers should not be made to do more than eight hours of work...but he [L&T chairman] is now talking of 12 hours, 14 hours, he should leave that [view], but I thank the company because they have done a very good job. I would also like to thank the labourers for their hard work,” Kharge said.
What did L&T Chairman Subrahmanyan say?
SN Subrahmanyan sparked an online outrage and a debate on work-life balance with his comments advocating a 90-hour work week, as he asked,“How long can you stare at your wife?” Also Read | L&T 90-hour workweek remark: Amul takes 'Labour & Toil?' dig, says 'we stare at bread daily'
“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. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working,” Subrahmanyan is heard saying in a purported video address to employees where he urged them to spend less time at home and more in the office.
His remarks reignited the work-life balance debate, first triggered by Infosys Co-Founder Narayana Murthy's suggestion of a 70-hour work week.
(With agency inputs)
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