BJP MP wants ‘Work From Home’ for techies to be scrapped, says its hurting other sectors
Most technology companies have enabled the WFH option for their employees till the end of June at least.
A senior BJP Member of Parliament, PC Mohan, has stirred up a controversy by demanding that ‘work from home’ (WFH) regulations for technology workers should be cancelled as it is negatively impacting the business of other sectors. Mohan, a three-time MP from Bengaluru Central, has said that the state which accounts for nearly a third of the IT exports from the country should cancel the WFH option for tech workers.
“Several other sectors whether it is transportation like cabs, rickshaws, or even the hotel and hospitality sector and real estate maintenance workers are severely impacted because of the WFH option being provided to tech workers. While all other sectors have resumed normal work, why don’t tech workers also contribute their bit in normalising economic recovery? The spending done by tech workers in cities like Bengaluru is what sustains and enables other sectors and it is unfair that they are doing WFH,” the parliamentarian said while speaking to the media.
Pointing out that a large chunk of the economy especially in a city like Bengaluru had been impacted due to the services not being used by tech workers; Mohan has said that he would request CM BS Yediyurappa to talk to the industry, so that they withdraw WFH. “If flights, trains and buses are running at almost full capacity what prevents IT and BT workers from going back to work? Let them take whatever precaution is required but they should resume ‘normal’ working”
Most technology companies have enabled the WFH option for their employees till the end of June at least. A senior IT industry consultant, Lakshmi Vishwanath, however slammed the MP’s demand, “The MP’s demand is ludicrous. What the pandemic did was made companies realise that several functions can be permanently done outside the office with even greater efficiency. It is like demanding that we should not use mechanized tools in construction industry because it will affect the livelihood of some workers. Even now companies will be careful of bringing back their entire workforce to office premises. That model I think is permanently broken.”
However, Mohan has said that he would raise the issue with state government so that it could talk to leading technology companies so that they cancel the WFH option for their employees.
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