Does Premji tell us how to run the govt: Gowda

Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda yesterday intensified his attacks on Infosys. He said not just Infosys, but, other multinational and Indian companies like Wipro, HP, IBM , Microsoft, Accenture, and Mphasis, had also played their part in the development of Bangalore.

"Murthy is not the only person who has contributed to the IT sector's promotion in Karnataka. He should remember that behind the success of every able man there are several other able men," Gowda said.

Objecting to, what he termed as, Infosys' interference with the government's functioning, Gowda said, "Wipro's Azim Premji is minding his own business; he doesn't tell us how to run the government. But does Murthy think that all the senior bureaucrats and technocrats in the state are inefficient?"

He accused NR Narayana Murthy of "indulging in politics" with the support of Maharashtra Governor and former Karnataka CM SM Krishna, who, he said, was trying to topple the Congress-Janata Dal (S) coalition government. He accused Krishna of using Murthy's resignation from the chairmanship of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) as a "weapon" to destabilise the state government.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dharam Singh told reporters that he had established contacts with Murthy and had asked him to re-consider his resignation from the BIAL.

On the 845 acres of land at Sarjapur road and 350 acres on the proposed international airport road for Infosys, Gowda said that was beyond the company's requirement.