Did Harsh Goenka 'Glorify Poverty'? Here's Why He Is Facing Backlash

Harsh Goenka the chairperson of RPG group, has invited criticism on his social media post for the second time in a row.

Goenka posted a picture of a woman carrying her baby in a cloth tied to her waist while she walked with heavy light equipment on her head in Baraat procession. Harsh Goenka while posting the photo wrote, "I feel like I put in too much effort sometimes and then I saw this photo! My salute!" Even though the business made his intentions clear about sharing the picture, he hardly received any positive comment in its response. While some admired the courage of the woman to multitask others saw the picture as a means to glorify poverty. So far, the picture has garnered more than 19 thousand 'likes' and more than two thousand people have retweeted 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

One user wrote, " Instead of saluting her courage we should feel shame that she has to go through all this hardship." Many called the picture distasteful and a romanticised version of poverty in a privileged man's head. A user said that the picture shows whatever us wrong with nepotistic capitalism and that billionaires such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and others will not be as joyful as Harsh Goenka.

Instead of saluting her courage we should feel shame that she has to go through all this hardships.

— Vikrant Jain (@Vikrant_Jain10) March 21, 2021

The user in his reply wrote, "Pathology of Indian modernity!Shame on Mr Goenka. You are trying to find aesthetics in the misery. This picture shows whatever is wrong with nepotistic capitalism. Can you imagine the reactions of @JeffBezos @BillGates @elonmusk or @MikeBloomberg after seeing the sad image?"

Pathology of Indian modernity!Shame on Mr Goenka. You are trying to find aesthetics in the misery. This picture shows whatever is wrong with nepotistic capitalism. Can you imagine the reactions of @JeffBezos @BillGates @elonmusk or @MikeBloomberg after seeing the sad image?

— Dilip Mandal (@Profdilipmandal) March 22, 2021

While another user wrote, "That's the irony...And the harsh reality...In this country, crores of rupees are spent in such silly things of marriage occasions and in return a huge gap between people of different income groups...I think its a never ending story..."

Harsh Goenka in his reply to one of the user's backlash wrote that he only intended to glorify the "love and courage of a mother"

Simi Garewal was one of the few people who praised the picture. She wrote, " And she is carrying her baby in her jholi..#Mothers"

And she is carrying her baby in her jholi..! #Mothers😇

— Simi Garewal (@Simi_Garewal) March 21, 2021

The obsession of Indian billionaires with celebration of poverty!! pic.twitter.com/gfo9WyFAKB

— Kanishk (@insideoutkan) March 21, 2021

Read the UN report on 100 million women suffering from extreme poverty due to COVID-19. Here