Kolkata: Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy on Sunday criticised the political leadership of the country for failing to show due respect to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and said it is "time this is corrected".
"We have not paid due respect to Netaji. It is time this is corrected," entrepreneur-cum-thinker Murthy said here voicing concern over the leadership lacunae.
Delivering the Netaji oration on the occasion of his birth anniversary at the Netaji Research Bureau, Murthy said, "I was shocked to learn that there is not single a major avenue named after Netaji in Delhi. Correct me, if I am wrong. I hope our wonderful Prime Minister will correct this
lacunae."
Describing Netaji as the most courageous leader of his time, the iconic corporate leader said that his presence would have spearheaded India to become the second most powerful
economy of the world ahead of China.
Had he been present at the post-Independent reconstruction era along with Nehru, Rajaji, Patel and Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, India's destiny would have been different, he observed.
"India would have also done a much better job in terms of people management as he foresaw the negative impact of a burgeoning population on a country's economy," Murthy said.
"Netaji had all the smartness to take India far from what it is now today," he said and observed sarcastically that "nowadays, we talk loud even about very mediocre
achievements".
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan said that Netaji's birthday on January 23 should be observed as 'Desh Prem Divas'.
"I hope that from next year onwards, the day will be observed as Desh Prem Divas," he said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, January 23, 2011, 16:29