Thursday, December 29, 2005

Narayana Murthy attacks politicians


I generally do not agree attacking politicians for all the ills of the
Nation. However the Radio incedent he refers seems to be correct.

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Narayana Murthy attacks politicians
http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14086534&headline=Narayana~Murthy~attacks~politicians

Thursday, 29 December , 2005, 10:50

Bangalore: Chairman of Infosys Technologies Limited N R Narayana Murthy on
Wednesday said corruption has become pervasive in institutions in the
country and there is a strong incentive for politicians to keep people
ignorant and illiterate.

"Our institutions - from our Parliament and legislatures to our courts and
distribution systems - have become pervaded with corruption," he said.

Corruption in India has become the norm, he said addressing the second
international alumni meet of National Institute of Technology.

Indians, the Chief Mentor of NASDAQ-listed firm said, spent over Rs 21,000
crore in bribes and illegal payouts in 2004 - close to one per cent of the
country's GDP. |Read more Finance news.|

"There is a strong incentive for our politicians to maintain the current
status quo - where the government is not accountable to the public on the
most basic issues - by keeping people ignorant and illiterate," he said.

Giving an example, he said India's private radio stations are only allowed
to broadcast entertainment and not news and information programmes. "There
is absolutely no good reason for this restriction. Only reason is they
(politicians) do not want the poor people to know what's happening in the
country."

Murthy pointed out that radio is a low-cost media with the highest
penetration in India- it reaches 27 of every 100 households in the country.
It is easily accessible to low-income, illiterate people and can be an
important source of knowledge, news and information.

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