Harsh Goenka slammed on Twitter for 'glorifying poverty'

RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka criticised on Twitter for 'glorifying poverty' (Image: LinkedIn)

Chairman of RPG Group, Harsh Goenka's recent tweet has resulted in quite some backlash for him. Goenka shared a picture that shows a woman carrying lights in a wedding procession, with her baby in a sling tied to her shoulders. "I feel like I put in too much effort sometimes. And then I saw this photo! My salute!" he captioned the image.

I feel like I put in too much effort sometimes. And then I saw this photo! My salute! pic.twitter.com/i8vUbLybB6

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) March 21, 2021

The picture was tweeted on March 21 and so far it has got nearly 20,000 'likes' and several reactions on the microblogging platform.

Many Twitter users felt that tweet was distasteful in nature, especially coming from someone as opulent as Harsh Goenka. This is also not the first time, he is being criticised for romanticising poverty. Simi Garewal, however, was one of the few who praised the picture saying, "And she is carrying her baby in her jholi..! #Mothers"

"Instead of saluting her courage we should feel shame that she has to go through these hardships," wrote one Twitter user.

"Stop glorifying poverty!" another said.

We must stop glorifying our own failures again and again. From migrants walking and cycling hundreds kms to justifying this really unsafe carrying of child and our own inabilities to create conducive surroundings for new mothers... Shame I would say.

—(@maulikshengal04) March 21, 2021

Acceptance is the first step to recovery.

Let’s accept that there are number of things wrong in the tweet and the picture.

Starting with elitist attitude of romanticising poverty... https://t.co/loOlqHNSNi

— Piyush Thorat, IRS (@PiyushTho) March 22, 2021

Mr Goenka, however, has defended his stance as he responded to some of the critical tweets coming his way. He wrote that he only sought to glorify the "love and courage of a mother"

Glamourising love and courage of a mother

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) March 22, 2021

Is it poverty or a relationship between a mother and child ? Obviously it depends on your own warped lens!

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) March 22, 2021