NASSCOM expresses distress at health minister's comments

Chennai, Sep 28 (UNI) NASSCOM today expressed its distress at media reports on Union Minister of Health Anbumani Ramadoss's comments about the lifestyle of BPO employees in the country.

''This is a generalised slur on half a million youngsters working in this industry. These young people work hard, with sincerity and dedication and are well and fairly paid for that,'' a NASSCOM release here said.

''We do not see how this translates into wanting to make a fast buck as the Minister reportedly said,'' NASSCOM said, adding the Minister's comment that 'they party the rest of the time' after working 'half the day' was another grossly unfair generalisation of ''what a few probably very few do''.

''These and other allegations of bad diet, 'excessive smoking and drinking are exaggerations that demean BPO employees,'' NASSCOM countered.

It said some of the concerns expressed by the minister had to do with young people's lifestyle and availability of disposable income.

These were factors that were true in many other professions and industries. To single out and attack BPO employees was not correct'', the release pointed out.

UNI