The Hindu Business Line : `Political row no setback to Infosys biz plans'

TWO MENTORS: Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Minister Mentor, Republic of Singapore, and Mr N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chief Mentor, Infosys, at the Infosys campus in Bangalore on Saturday. - G.R.N. Somashekar

Bangalore , Nov. 19

MR N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman and Chief Mentor of Infosys Technologies Ltd, has said the charges levelled by the former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) President, Mr H.D. Deve Gowda, have not had any material impact on the company's business prospects or the image or its expansion plans.

Mr Gowda had recently accused Infosys of land grabbing and had said its chairman was meddling with State politics.

"Despite all these, we are doing our work as normally as before and keeping our employees happy and satisfying our customers," Mr Narayana Murthy told reporters on Saturday on the sidelines of a visit to Infosys City by Singapore's Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

The expansion plans of Infosys in Mysore and Mangalore and elsewhere in the country were not affected, he said.

No criticism: "For my part I have never ever criticised any politician in the country or Karnataka by name," Mr Narayana Murthy said, adding Mr Gowda had not provided any proof of his allegations.

"It is as good as somebody claiming that the sun rises in the West. If Mr Gowda claims that the crow is white, I cannot help it," he added.

Further, Mr Narayana Murthy said, when he had raised the issue of improving urban governance at a meeting held recently, he had no ill-intention whatsoever and was interested only in enhancing the quality of life of the people living in urban areas. "I have zero stake in the issue."

No going back on resignation: Mr Murthy also said that he would not reconsider his resignation as chairman of the Bangalore International Airport Ltd.

"My resignation will not hamper the work of the international airport as individuals do not matter in any project."

No rules violated: Refuting the charge that Infosys had acquired land belonging to farmers in the State at throwaway prices, Infosys' chief financial officer, Mr T.V. Mohandas Pai, said the company had acquired the land at market value and to the satisfaction of its owners. "The company has not violated any rules or regulations," he said.

Mr Narayana Murthy suggested that the Government should try to reduce access charges for boosting Internet penetration.

The Government should either look at options such as voucher-based subsidy, advertising revenues or even go in for long-term soft loans from multilateral agencies to reduce Internet access costs, he said.

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