CPI(ML) Lok Sabha MP from Karakat (Bihar) Comrade Raja Ram Singh, a Standing Committee Member on Labour, Textile, and Skill Development, has written to Labour Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, condemning recent statements by corporate leaders advocating excessively long working hours. Raja Ram Singh highlighted remarks by L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who reportedly lamented being unable to enforce Sunday work, and Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who suggested a 70-hour work week to boost productivity.

Raja Ram Singh, in the letter dated January 10 said that, the 8 hour work day is a product of great struggle, one for which lives were sacrificed. India’s legalised 8 hour working day came with the 1946 Amendment to the Factories Act of 1934 – a result of the Bill introduced by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar as Labour Member in the Viceroy’s Executive Council. Section 51 of the Factories Act mandates that “no adult worker shall be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than forty-eight hours in any week.” and Section 51 mandates that “no adult worker shall be required or allowed to work in a factory for more than nine hours in any day”.  His letter draws attention to the health risks and reduced productivity caused by overwork, citing studies linking long shifts to stress, cognitive issues, and other ailments.

The CPI(ML) MP He called for immediate government intervention to ensure the strict enforcement of labour laws, stressing that companies must not compel workers to exceed the legally mandated 48-hour workweek. He also urged penalties for violations and emphasised the need to protect workers' rights amid rising corporate pressure.

This demand for action comes as India’s workforce continues to endure some of the longest working hours globally that reflects the growing exploitation of labour under the guise of productivity.