Industrialist Harsh Goenka’s Sunday tweet went viral—but not entirely for the reasons he may have expected. Sharing a short video clip of a car dangerously overloaded with people, he used the image to poke fun at India’s transport woes.
The chairman of RPG Enterprises wrote, “China: Building flying cars
USA: Launching driverless Teslas
India: ‘Bhai, sabko pick karna hai — shaadi mein ‘with family’ likha tha!’”
It was clearly meant as a joke. But for many Indians online, the humour felt misplaced. Some called it witty. Others saw it as an unnecessary comparison between vastly different realities.
“Sir, with due respect. When Indian govt provides all the facilities like USA China does. We too will behave like that. So stop insulting your own people!” one user wrote bluntly.
Another turned the joke on its head and tagged Union Minister Piyush Goyal: “Sir, transportation itself is such a huge issue in India that we need 10000 startups in this sector.”
Some leaned into Goenka’s corporate connections, “Force Motors should use this video for their advertisement... Tyre must be CEAT,” a user suggested, referencing the tyre brand under RPG Group.
Others offered a mix of humour and social commentary.
“It's usual Indian mentality to use briefcase as suitcase, scooty as scooter, scooter as car, car as truck, truck as train and Modi as Trump,” wrote one user.
“Now that’s how we do vehicle stress test realtime. Who needs laboratories,” another added dryly.
The transport jab wasn’t the only opinion Harsh Goenka shared over the weekend. On Saturday, he weighed in on a brewing debate around Indian work culture and the direction of startup ventures.
Backing Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan's controversial pitch for a 70-90 hour workweek, Goenka also aligned with Piyush Goyal’s earlier criticism of India’s startup focus.
He argued the trio’s comments were not literal commands but guiding questions for the country’s business ecosystem.
“When Murthy and Subrahmanyan spoke of 70-90 hour work weeks, and Piyush Goyal questioned startups making vegan ice creams and chasing 10-minute deliveries, they weren’t being literal—they were being directional. They were asking: what are we really building?” Goenka said in a tweet on April 5.
This perspective found some support, especially among traditional business voices. But critics questioned whether such statements ignored the real constraints—ranging from poor infrastructure to weak regulatory support—that shape India's everyday working conditions.
Behind the jokes and online sparring lies a familiar national dilemma. India's aspirations to lead in tech and innovation are often held back by fundamental issues—clogged roads, broken systems, and deep inequality.
Goenka’s tweet, perhaps unintentionally, exposed that tension. Yes, India is building. But millions are still stuck in traffic—sometimes literally—waiting for the basics to catch up.
While the world talks about flying cars, many here are still looking for safe, affordable rides. And that, as users reminded Goenka, is no laughing matter.
The chairman of RPG Enterprises wrote, “China: Building flying cars
USA: Launching driverless Teslas
India: ‘Bhai, sabko pick karna hai — shaadi mein ‘with family’ likha tha!’”
It was clearly meant as a joke. But for many Indians online, the humour felt misplaced. Some called it witty. Others saw it as an unnecessary comparison between vastly different realities.
Netizens respond with humour, frustration and sarcasm
The tweet sparked a flood of reactions. One user quipped, “India is not for beginners,” a common online refrain that sums up the country's chaotic charm. Others, however, were less amused.“Sir, with due respect. When Indian govt provides all the facilities like USA China does. We too will behave like that. So stop insulting your own people!” one user wrote bluntly.
Another turned the joke on its head and tagged Union Minister Piyush Goyal: “Sir, transportation itself is such a huge issue in India that we need 10000 startups in this sector.”
Some leaned into Goenka’s corporate connections, “Force Motors should use this video for their advertisement... Tyre must be CEAT,” a user suggested, referencing the tyre brand under RPG Group.
Others offered a mix of humour and social commentary.
“It's usual Indian mentality to use briefcase as suitcase, scooty as scooter, scooter as car, car as truck, truck as train and Modi as Trump,” wrote one user.
“Now that’s how we do vehicle stress test realtime. Who needs laboratories,” another added dryly.
The transport jab wasn’t the only opinion Harsh Goenka shared over the weekend. On Saturday, he weighed in on a brewing debate around Indian work culture and the direction of startup ventures.
Backing Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy and L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan's controversial pitch for a 70-90 hour workweek, Goenka also aligned with Piyush Goyal’s earlier criticism of India’s startup focus.
He argued the trio’s comments were not literal commands but guiding questions for the country’s business ecosystem.
“When Murthy and Subrahmanyan spoke of 70-90 hour work weeks, and Piyush Goyal questioned startups making vegan ice creams and chasing 10-minute deliveries, they weren’t being literal—they were being directional. They were asking: what are we really building?” Goenka said in a tweet on April 5.
This perspective found some support, especially among traditional business voices. But critics questioned whether such statements ignored the real constraints—ranging from poor infrastructure to weak regulatory support—that shape India's everyday working conditions.
Behind the jokes and online sparring lies a familiar national dilemma. India's aspirations to lead in tech and innovation are often held back by fundamental issues—clogged roads, broken systems, and deep inequality.
Goenka’s tweet, perhaps unintentionally, exposed that tension. Yes, India is building. But millions are still stuck in traffic—sometimes literally—waiting for the basics to catch up.
While the world talks about flying cars, many here are still looking for safe, affordable rides. And that, as users reminded Goenka, is no laughing matter.
