If we don't vote, we have no rights to criticise: Software icon Narayana Murthy
Bengaluru (PTI): Co-founder of IT major Infosys N R Narayana Murthy and his author wife Sudha Murty cast their ballot for the Karnataka Assembly elections on Wednesday and exhorted people to vote.
"First, we vote and then we say this is good and this is not good. But if we don't do that, then we have no rights to criticise," 76-year-old Narayana Murthy said after exercising his franchise in the morning here.
Regarding his "expectations" while voting, the software icon said: "My hope is that for my grandchildren this place will be one of the best places in the world to live, to pursue their career, education and to add value to the society. That's how I hope."
"We all hope that the poorest guy in the remotest village in India have access to the basic education, decent healthcare, decent nutrition, and hope that that child's grandchildren will have a better future than that child," Murthy added.
His wife Sudha Murty said the younger generation should learn from them and exercise their franchise. "I will tell youngsters please look at us. We are aged but still we get up at 6 am, we get ready and vote. Please learn from us," she said.
Stating that voting is a sacred part of democracy, Murty said in democracy if there are no voters, then it is not a democracy at all.
"You should respect voting and you should exercise your power in case if you want to change, implement or continue, you want your projects to be implemented," she added.
Urging people to vote, the author-philanthropist said: "I will not ask you who you will vote for or why you vote, because everyone has their own opinion and decision, but everyone should vote. We vote in every election."
On people who "go out" without voting, she said: "I can only say those who don't have patriotism, do such things. Get up early, first vote and then go anywhere you want."
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
