NRN's remarks on Anthem rocks K'taka House

Bangalore, Apr 10: Karnataka Home Minister M P Prakash today assured the State Assembly that legal action will be taken against Infosys Chief Mentor and Non-Executive Chairman N R Narayana Murthy if it was proved that the IT czar had insulted the National Anthem during President A P J Abdul Kalam's visit to the company's Mysore campus on April eight.

Responding to the issue raised by Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj in the House, the Minister said he had not yet received a full report on the matter. He would get the report by tomorrow. ''If it is true that Mr Murthy had insulted the National Anthem, we will surely take legal action,'' he added.

Earlier, Mr Nagaraj accused Mr Murthy of insulting the language, culture and National Anthem of the country by choosing not to sing the Anthem at the function.

Terming Mr Murthy a ''traitor'', he sought the State Government to take immediate action against him and deport him.

Mr Murthy's reported statement that the instrumental version of the National Anthem was played at the President's function as it would have inconvenienced foreign trainees at the Infosys Global Education Centre to sing along, had stirred up a hornet's nest.

However, putting to rest the controversy, Mr Murthy today clarified that the instrumental version of the Anthem was played so that all could sing along. He also apologised if his statement had hurt anybody's sentiments.

UNI

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