Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
In accepting the highest civilian honour of France, The Officer of the Legion of Honour, chief mentor of Infosys, N R Naryanamurthy, whose contribution to Indias excellence in IT world is unreservedly recognized by the motherland, has made a farce of Indian constitution by contravening it on the Republic Day.
The Legion of Honour is the highest civilian title of France that was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 by way of asserting his nationalistic superiority. Some other countries of aggressive background have also established orders or titles of their own in their own imagined honour and in order to make propaganda of their self-proclaimed superiority. Aware of this design of imperialistic countries, the Constitution of India has put a blatant ban on entering into this trap by any of the Indians. Article 18(2) of the Constitution of India has clearly promulgated this ban by saying, No citizen of India shall accept any title from any foreign State.
It is therefore a shame that Narayanamurthy has failed to honour Indian Constitution in his eagerness to honour the symbol of France superiority.
He should have refused the France offer of the Officer of the Legion of Honour with appropriate words in apprising them of our constitutional position; but he has perhaps no inclination for that.
When the Prime Minister has rendered the Preamble of our Constitution inconsequential by ushering in imperialism, when the central cabinet has made a farce of our Constitution by showing, as in the nuke deal matter, that instead of remaining answerable to the Parliament it can take it for granted and treat it as nothing but an approver of its actions, when the Supreme Court makes a farce of our constitution by making people feel that the government is not subordinate to the Parliament, what to speak of Narayanamurthy contravening Article 18(2) of the Constitution on our Republic Day!
Mother India, save yourself, if you can. We are more apt in betraying you than protecting your honour.