Infosys chief asked to appear in court over anthem remarks

A court in Bangalore has ordered registering of a criminal case against Infosys chief N.R. Narayana Murthy in connection with his alleged insult to the national anthem and summoned him to appear before it on June 21.

On the basis of a private complaint filed by a pro-Kannada outfit, the Second Additional City and Chief Metropolitan magistrate M. Mujahidulla ordered registering of a criminal case against Narayana Murthy under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act 1971. The magistrate also ordered issue of summons returnable on June 21.

The Bangalore court’s orders comes after a private complaint was filed by Kannada Rakshana Vakilara Vedike, a forum of advocates fighting for implementation of Kannada in courts.

Infosys chairman and chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy had landed in a controversy for his remarks on the national anthem during President APJ Abdul Kalam’s visit to the Infosys campus in Mysore near here on April 8. Narayana Murthy reportedly told reporters that the company chose against organising live singing of the national anthem and instead played its instrumental version to avoid “embarrassment” to the foreigners in the campus.

Murthy’s remarks triggered a furore in Karnataka with even the State Assembly discussing the matter and condemning it. The Infosys chairman has also apologised by saying that he was sorry if his comments had hurt the sentiments of the people and he had no intention to insult the national anthem. “If the media statements had hurt anybody, I deeply apologise”, Narayana Murthy had said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Kannada Rakshana Vakilara Vedike lodged a complaint in Tilak Nagar police station in Bangalore on April 16, seeking action against Narayana Murthy for his reported remarks on the national anthem. When the police failed to act, the Vedike filed a private complaint in the court on May 3, said Vedike’s General Secretary H.N. Raghavendra.

Infosys did not have any comments to offer on the Bangalore court’s order. According to an Infosys spokesperson, Narayana Murthy was abroad and the company had no comments to offer on the summons issued by the court.