Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has made a hard-hitting statement on the anti-Muslim amended Citizenship Act saying that ‘what is happening is sad.’
A reporter working for Buzzfeed website quoted Nadella as saying, “I think what is happening is sad… It’s just bad…. I would love to see a Bangladeshi immigrant who comes to India and creates the next unicorn in India or becomes the next CEO of Infosys.”
The stunning reaction from the Indian-born Microsoft CEO has evoked strong reactions from journalists and historians on social media.
I am glad Satya Nadella has said what he has. I wish that one of our own IT czars had the courage and wisdom to say this first. Or to say it even now. https://t.co/KsKbDUtMQk
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) January 13, 2020
When one of the greatest living Indians speaks, we should all listen carefully. Satya Nadella makes us proud – an amazing global leader with a heart. https://t.co/cXnqtm6Uq5
— Prannoy Roy (@PrannoyRoyNDTV) January 13, 2020
Asked Microsoft CEO @satyanadella about India’s new Citizenship Act. “I think what is happening is sad… It’s just bad…. I would love to see a Bangladeshi immigrant who comes to India and creates the next unicorn in India or becomes the next CEO of Infosys” cc @PranavDixit
— Ben Smith (@BuzzFeedBen) January 13, 2020
Big headline. @satyanadella weighs in on the discriminatory new citizenship legislation and the even worse proposed #NRC https://t.co/mqCFXl2lkj
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) January 13, 2020
Absolutely unacceptable! Hope BJP IT Cell has taken note of Satya Nadella’s stand against CAA. How dare he question the wisdom of individuals ruining India at the moment! #CAAProtests #ShaheenBaghProtests https://t.co/9ysyjfoI6H
— Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) January 13, 2020
Dear Bhakts! – what sort of statement is @satyanadella making against #CAA!!
Let us immediately #BoycottWindows.
(dont worry this will not impact us – we are anyways using pirated versions) #masterstroke https://t.co/kX6tT94qjs— Akash Banerjee (@TheDeshBhakt) January 13, 2020
Nadella was speaking to editors at a Microsoft event in Manhattan on Monday morning.
His comments evoked angry reactions from the usual suspects in the Hindutva gang with known right-wing social media users targeting Nadella for his criticism of the controversial act. Soon Microsoft India issued a statement, which read, “Every country will and should define its borders, protect national security and set immigration policy accordingly. And in democracies, that is something that the people and their governments will debate and define within those bounds. I’m shaped by my Indian heritage, growing up in a multicultural India and my immigrant experience in the United States. My hope is for an India where an immigrant can aspire to found a prosperous start-up or lead a multinational corporation benefitting Indian society and the economy at large.”
“Every country will and should define its borders, protect national security and set immigration policy accordingly. And in democracies, that is something that the people and their governments will debate and define within those bounds. I’m shaped by my Indian heritage, growing up in a multicultural India and my immigrant experience in the United States. My hope is for an India where an immigrant can aspire to found a prosperous start-up or lead a multinational corporation benefitting Indian society and the economy at large.”
The BJP government’s decision to enact the amended Citizenship Act has resulted in countrywide protests. The government has also faced criticism from its supporters with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asking the central government to rethink the CAA.
CAA provides automatic citizenship to non-Muslim illegal immigrants. Analysts say that the act will be used to drive millions of Muslim Indian citizens stateless after the Centre’s Narendra Modi government introduces the preparation of the National Register of Citizens also known as NRC.
