Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 7: Entrepreneur Ashneer Grover has responded with sarcasm after an X user urged him to donate his estimated Rs 900 crore wealth following controversial remarks made by his wife, Madhuri Jain Grover, linking poverty to family size.
The controversy began after Madhuri, a contestant on the reality show Lock Upp 2, shared a personal story while attempting to avoid elimination. She revealed that she and Ashneer had once planned to have a third child but were ultimately unable to do so.
However, it was her subsequent remarks that triggered widespread criticism on social media.
During the show, Madhuri said that having a third child helps people stay younger and claimed that many wealthy families, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's, have three children. She went on to say that the "Hum do, humare do" concept does not apply to everyone and added that when wealthy people have more children, wealth increases, whereas when poor people have more children, poverty increases.
The comments were criticised by several social media users, who described them as elitist and insensitive.
Amid the backlash, content creator Nalini Unagar tagged Ashneer Grover on X and suggested that if the family believed poverty was linked to poor people having more children, he should donate his estimated Rs 900 crore wealth to around 1,800 families by giving Rs 50 lakh to each. The post argued that such a move could help thousands of children and sarcastically suggested that Grover then retire to the Himalayas as a monk.
Responding on X, Ashneer dismissed the suggestion with a sarcastic remark in Hindi.
"The way of asking for alms is rather casual. My wife has already shared her wisdom — for this much, this much is what you'll get," he wrote.
The episode has sparked a wider debate online. While many users condemned Madhuri's remarks as discriminatory and reflective of economic elitism, others argued that financial stability is an important factor when planning parenthood.
Some users maintained that every individual has an equal right to have a family regardless of income, while others said prospective parents should consider whether they have the financial resources to adequately care for their children. The discussion continues to generate mixed reactions across social media platforms.