An old video of Ashneer Grover has resurfaced on social media, sparking conversations about toxic work cultures. Billionaire Harsh Goenka joined the discussion to slam the former BharatPe CEO, accusing him of “advocating toxic work culture”. In the video, the former Shark Tank India judge reveals why he quit Ernst & Young (EY) in one day despite a ₹1 crore package.
“It’s baffling to see anyone advocate for a toxic environment. Your views?” Harsh Goenka wrote and added the hashtag #AnnaPerayil. It is a hashtag going viral on X following the death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil, an EY Pune employee. In a heart-wrenching letter, her mother claimed that she died due to overwork. EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani later issued a statement denying the allegations.
What does Ashneer Grover say?
Ashneer Grover says he joined Ernst and Young (EY) with a pay of ₹1 crore. When he entered the office and looked around, he acted like he had chest pain. He did all that to get out of the place on day one.
The BharatPe co-founder explains that he did so because he thought the office atmosphere was too dull and filled with “Zinda leash (living corpses).”
He goes on to say the best office is the one where people are fighting, adding, “Jahan pe koi bol raha hai toxic culture hai, bahut sahi office hai (If anyone is saying an office has a toxic culture, then that one is the best).” That’s the only place where work gets done, he further comments.
Take a look at the viral video here:
With over 1.5 lakh views, the share has collected nearly 1,100 likes. The post has more than 1,200 likes and several comments.
How did X users react to the video?
“The toxic places only got rid of him to detoxify! ” wrote an X user. “People who have already made huge money have moral rights to talk sense and nonsense both on a public platform. Rest can ignore and focus on their goals,” added another.
A third commented, “As an ex-EY, I feel work culture is extreme and not everyone can handle it.” A fourth commented, “Say yes to toxic culture is his policy.”
Earlier, Harsh Goenka found himself in the eye of controversy due to his X post in which he said people should at least save ₹600 daily. When an individual challenged his remark, adding that not everyone can save that kind of money, the billionaire replied, “Obviously you are not well paid.” His response sparked a wave of comments, with many saying that he is “disconnected from reality.”
What are your thoughts on Harsh Goenka’s reactions to Ashneer Grover’s old video on why he quit EY?