Court clears Narayana Murthy in anthem row

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday gave final burial to the controversy over non-singing of national anthem at the Infosys premises in Mysore in April last year when then President A P J Abdul Kalam had gone to inaugurate the company's corporate centre.

Though the court did not approve of the dropping of the national anthem, reportedly due to presence of foreign dignitaries, it chastised the complainant for "unnecessarily dramatising the case."

The presence of foreign dignitaries on the dais as a reason for cancellation of singing of the national anthem, as allegedly stated by Infy founder N R Narayana Murthy to the media, had led to filing of a complaint on the ground that it was an offence under the National Honour Act, 1971.

The Infy founder was summoned by a court, but the Karnataka HC quashed the criminal proceedings. The complainant appealed against the HC order before the apex court.

A Bench comprising CJI K G Balakrishnan and Justices C K Thakker and R V Raveendran made light of the passionate arguments of complainant's counsel, C M Angadhi, and said when a person reacted to the statement, Narayanmurthy immediately apologised. "There should be an end to these cases," it remarked.

"We do not approve that singing of national anthem should be dropped because of presence of foreign dignitaries and that it could offend them. But there is no offence made out under the National Honour Act," the Bench said.

News Source : Samachar