‘Can’t run sweatshops’: Karnataka IT minister Kharge on Narayana Murthy’s 70-hr work week comment | India News

NEW DELHI: Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge on Tuesday said that companies cannot force individuals to work extra hours and “cannot run sweatshops”, as he gave his opinion on Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s statement that the country’s youth should work for 70 hours in a week.
Kharge, who appreciated Murthy’s contribution to the IT industry and his ‘wisdom’, said instead of stipulating the number of hours put in by an individual, companies should see how productive they are in their professional assignments.

Asked about Murthy’s statement which created a furore across social media and the IT and tech sector, Kharge told TOI, “To each his own. It’s different strokes for different folks. As a minister, I would concentrate on productivity. If you are being productive in seven hours, I don’t mind. And if you intend to put your other seven hours to ensure that your productivity increases and it helps the department or the ministry, you are welcome to do it. But we cannot force somebody to do this (put in 70 hours). You cannot run sweat shops.”

The Minister said that he appreciates Murthy’s role in building top-notch tech companies. “Murthy has built companies. He knows what he is talking about. I am sure there must be some wisdom in what he’s saying. Of course, the industry and people are split wide open on this. My take is as long as you are productive, I am okay with that.”

Speaking about investments in the state, he said that Karnataka has been making efforts to get companies to come in areas such as electronics, electric vehicles, and semiconductors. Asked whether they have approached Tesla for setting up a factory in the state, considering that the American electric vehicles maker is close to setting foot in India, he said that certain conversations have happened. “We’ve had some indirect conversations at this point. We are not just trying to engage with the company, but rather the entire eco-system.”
Kharge, who is son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, handles the portfolio of information technology, biotechnology, electronics in the Karnataka government apart from rural development and panchayat raj ministry.