Bring PM, Judiciary under Lokpal: Narayana Murthy

Software icon N R Narayana Murthy on Saturday backed Anna Hazare's movement against corruption and favoured the Prime Minister's Office and the judiciary coming under the ambit of the Lokpal Bill.

The chairman and chief mentor of Infosys also supported people's movements taking to the streets to demand an end to corruption.

"I think in a democracy, pluralism is inevitable. It has to be there. That is what makes democracy stronger," Murthy told reporters in response to questions.

He said different people have different ways of expressing their opinion, adding that people have the right to express their opinion as long as they don't hurt anybody and they are law-abiding citizens.

Asked if he would join Hazare's movement, Murthy, a respected figure in the information technology industry, said he was always a well-wisher of anything good that's happening in the country.

"I will always be there in my own way. Whatever little I can do, certainly I will do", he said.

Asked if the prime minister and the judiciary should come under the purview of the Lokpal, Murthy said one has to find a mechanism whereby every citizen of the country is accountable to the legal system.

"I don't think anybody is against it", he said. "I think all the citizens of the country have to be accountable".

Citing his own example, Murthy said just because he is the chairman of Infosys, it does not mean that he is above anything in the company.

"Knowing that the kind of extraordinary individual that (prime minister) Manmohan Singh is, I have no doubt he will be the first one to say this (to include him under Lokpal)", Murthy said.

He said Hazare has been discussing the drafting of the Lokpal bill with the government and the government has been very, very proactive in sitting with him and other members of the civil society.

Murthy said he does not know Ramdev and so cannot comment on his movement against corruption and black money.