Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan's work for 90 hours a week remark will continue to haunt him for long. Apart from facing massive nationwide backlash, Subrahmanyan's remark has sparked a meme fest online, with social media users using humour to express their frustration.

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In an undated video of an L&T video conference, which has gone viral, Subrahmanyan suggested employees work 90 hours a week.

Also read | L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan's pay in FY24 was $6.12 million, 535 times median employee salary

"What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can wives stare at their husbands? Go to the office and start working. Honestly, I am sorry that I am not able to make you work on Sundays. I will be happier if I can make you work on Sundays because I work on Sundays too," Subhrahmanyan said. 

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The meme fest

In the past few days, there has been massive criticism of Subrahmanyan's remark, and now several memes are being shared on the social media platform X.

"Wishing everyone a very happy wife-staring day (except L&T employees)," an X user said. “Don't stare at wife...!! Come to work & stare at someone else's wife," another user wrote. 

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Online food ordering giant Zomato, which has a strong meme game, jumped into the conversation.In case you don't have a wife, feel free to stare at your order arriving on the app,Zomato wrote.

Some users on X also shared scenes from famous movies as a reaction to Subhrahmanyan's remark.

Central govt urged to take action

Following Subhrahmanyan's demand to work for 90 hours a week, CPIML (Liberation) MP Raja Ram Singh on January 10 wrote to Indian Labour Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, asking him to penalise any violation of laws on working hours in offices.

Also read | ‘I love staring at my wife,’ How top Indian biz tycoons are reacting to 90-hour workweek call

In a letter to the Labour Minister, Singh also quoted a statement by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy advocating a 70-hour workweek, and others like Bhavish Aggarwal of Ola and Sajjan Jindal of Jindal Steel Works publicly supporting such a proposal.

“It is important to note that not only does working longer hours not ensure increased productivity but in fact reduces productivity. One of the serious impacts of long working hours is on the health of the workers," he added.