Rahul Gandhi Speaks To Parents Of Deceased EY Employee, Assures Them Of Raising Issue In Parliament | WATCH

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday reached out to the parents of Anna Sebastian Perayil, an Ernst and Young employee who allegedly died due to work pressure, and pledged both his "personal commitment" and the Congress party's support to ensure that her tragic death becomes a turning point for workplace reforms.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, shared a video on X, showing him on a video call with Anna's parents.

Photo Credit: https://x.com/RahulGandhi

"I spoke with the heartbroken parents of Anna Sebastian, a bright and ambitious young professional whose life was tragically cut short by toxic and unforgiving work conditions. In the face of unimaginable grief, Anna's mother has shown remarkable courage and selflessness, turning her personal loss into a powerful plea for safer and fairer workplaces for all," Rahul Gandhi posted.

The Congress MP also stated, "I have promised Anna's family my personal commitment, along with the full support of the Congress party, to ensure that this tragedy becomes a catalyst for change."

During the call, Rahul Gandhi expressed his sorrow to Anna's parents, asking them about the work environment at Ernst and Young. "How was the work atmosphere there? Was it very toxic? Is that what was going on there?" he asked.

Anna's mother, Anita Augustine, shared that her daughter often complained about the long hours at EY. "They have to work continuously, night, Saturday, Sunday. Children were made to work like that, mainly new employees. She had no time for herself," Augustine said, breaking down.

She also highlighted the condition of workers in India, saying, "We got freedom in 1947, but our children are still working like slaves."

Anna's father, Sibi Joseph, requested Rahul Gandhi to raise the issue in Parliament. Rahul assured them, saying he would be "happy to do that" and added, "However we can support your cause, we would be happy to do that."

Earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had also spoken to Sibi Joseph, who suggested the need for legislation to regulate working hours across all workplaces. Tharoor agreed with the proposal.

Anna Sebastian Perayil, who started working at E&Y India in March, passed away on July 20 after suffering from exhaustion.

Her mother's open letter to the company went viral, sparking outrage on social media over work conditions at EY, particularly since no one from the company attended her funeral.

EY India chairperson Rajiv Memani faced criticism after denying that work pressure was a factor in Anna's death.