Infosys founder Narayana Murthy created a social media stir after suggesting that India’s youngsters must work for 70 hours every week in a bid to boost the country’s overall work productivity. His remarks sparked a national debate and invited both harsh criticism and voices of agreement. While some prominent business leaders backed Mr Muthy’s workweek schedule, others on the internet slammed the billionaire and called his proposed work schedule inhumane. Now, actor and businessman Suniel Shetty has also shared his two cents on the issue. 

In a LinkedIn Post, Mr Shetty said that the way he sees things when someone like Mr Murthy says something people should listen carefully, analyse it for themselves, and take the best out of it. “Even though this is a contentious issue, it’s important to stop & think about what he really meant. For me, it really isn’t about the number of hours. It isn’t about 70 or 100 hour weeks. The way I read his thoughts is simple – It’s about going beyond your comfort zone,” he wrote.

Further, Mr Shetty cited examples of Abdul Kalam, Ratan Tata, Amitabh Bachchan, and Virat Kohli as individuals who excelled in their respective fields. “Do we really think any of these individuals got to where they did in life, by playing within their comfort zones? Do we really think any of these individuals spent the early years of their careers worrying about whether they were striking the right balance between work & life?” he wrote. 

The actor backed Mr Murthy’s 70-hour workweek schedule, saying, “Why I see Mr Murthy’s statement for what it was really trying to convey, is because I do believe that young adults should spend their earliest years pushing their boundaries”. He also highlighted that honing skills, acquiring new ones, dealing with pressure, learning about other functions, working in collaborative environments and generally making the most of the opportunities, should be top priorities for all young adults. 

Also Read | Why Young People Get Heart Attacks: Doctor On Narayana Murthy’s 70-Hour Workweek Suggestion

Mr Shetty concluded by saying that while it is important to have time for family, health, hobbies, friends as well as other things, it is also true that the world is evolving rapidly. “Technology and AI are reshaping the world more than we can imagine. And we need to keep getting better. My dear future leaders – thrive for excellence, put in the hard work and cultivate your skills. Find mentors, build networks and invest in soft skills. The rest will fall into place,” he said. 

Notably, Narayana Murthy commented about the work culture while speaking to former Infosys CEO Mohandas Pai on the first episode of 3one4 Capital’s podcast ‘The Record’. He drew parallels to Japan and Germany, countries that implemented the extended working hours. He also talked about other topics like nation-building, technology, his company Infosys and others.

The Manipur Police fired several rounds in the air today to disperse a mob that surrounded a police station near the Chief Minister’s office in the state capital Imphal. Curfew has been reimposed in the city.

Reports of gunfire at other parts of Imphal city came at the time of filing this report. Imphal residents who NDTV spoke to said they heard constant gunfire coming from the direction of the 1st Manipur Rifles complex.

The mob, allegedly led by the local youth group Arambai Tenggol, demanded weapons from the police station in protest against what they called the state government’s inaction following the killing of a senior police officer by an insurgent sniper in the India-Myanmar border town Moreh yesterday.

The mob clashed with the security forces and allegedly tried to surround the 1st Manipur Rifles complex, close to the Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s office in Imphal West district, demanding arms and ammunition, police sources said.

To control the mob, the security forces first baton-charged them, but had to fire in the air as the crowds kept on pushing in. Some people were injured in the clash, police sources said.

Public Anger After Cop Shot Dead

The killing of senior Manipur Police officer Chingtham Anand by an insurgent sniper while he was overseeing the construction of a helipad in Moreh yesterday has sparked massive protests in the valley areas.

Protesters have demanded the Biren Singh government to send more forces to the border trading town, where the hill-majority Kuki tribes have objected against the deployment of Manipur Police personnel.

Commandos of the Manipur Police have arrested at least 10 Myanmar nationals in as many days for looting homes of Moreh residents, who left the border town when ethnic clashes broke out on May 3 between the Kuki tribes and the valley-majority Meiteis.

A small squad of Manipur Police commandos who have been stationed in Moreh since the May 3 violence is being bolstered with reinforcements now. Sending the police personnel to the border town, however, has not been easy due to roadblocks by miscreants, sources said, adding the need for a larger helipad was felt and so a decision to build it was taken.

Kuki Students’ Organisation Calls Shutdown

The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) has called a 48-hour shutdown starting Wednesday midnight in protest against the deployment of additional police commandos in Moreh.

The KSO in a statement said it takes “strong exception to the continued stationing and additional deployment of Manipur Police commandos in Moreh despite Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance to withdraw all state forces within three days during his visit to the border town”.

Mr Shah had gone to Moreh in late May, weeks after the ethnic violence began in Churachandpur and spread to other districts. The KSO alleged police commandos have been torturing Moreh residents after the killing of the police officer yesterday.

The Kuki body Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) has also made similar allegations. It criticised Biren Singh over what it claimed was inequality on treatment of two cases of cop deaths – one was Onkhomang Haokip, who was killed in September, and the other is yesterday’s Moreh incident.

Referring to Haokip’s death, the ITLF said, “… The Chief Minister’s Office remained startlingly mute on social media, and no immediate action to investigate was taken. Moreover, a meagre ex-gratia was announced… The brutal and cowardly assault on officer Haokip left his family bereft, yet the government’s indifference was palpable.”

Manipur Government Recommends UAPA Against Kuki Group

The Manipur government in a statement after an emergency cabinet meeting yesterday said a first information report (FIR) has been filed against an organisation called World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC), which issued a statement on October 24 asking “volunteers” in the Kuki-Zo community to take up arms as the Kuki National Army and other insurgent groups cannot “join the war” due to the tripartite suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the centre and the state government.

At least 25 Kuki insurgent groups have signed the SoO agreement, under which they have to stay at designated camps, and keep their weapons in locked storage for regular joint monitoring with the security forces.

The WKZIC in a statement denied it ever published any statement asking for volunteers to “join the war”, and criticised the government for what it called falling for a “fake statement” issued by unknown miscreants to tarnish the image of the WKZIC.

The upcoming assembly election is not just about Rajasthan, it is also about Congress’ future, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said on Wednesday, and added that the country needed the party.

Urging party leaders to reject politics and make Congress candidates win the polls, Ashok Gehlot said that such leaders could later be given official positions by the government.

The party would resolve the issues with those who could not be given a ticket to contest the polls, the chief minister said.

Assembly elections are due in the state on November 25, and counting of votes will be done on December 3.

“Even if we could not give tickets to those who stood by us and to those who saved our government, we have told them to help elect candidates who are contesting for the party. Leave all kinds of politics. Nation is first. The entire country today needs the Congress party,” Ashok Gehlot said.  

“The election is not just about Rajasthan but it is also an election of Congress’ future. If they (party leaders) will make the party win the elections then they will be adjusted in boards after elections. If needed, we will give them the status of ministers.”  The chief minister said that it is natural that there is some resentment after ticket distribution among some party workers even though it was done after collective discussions. Still, there can be some complaints, he added.  He exuded confidence that Congress would win the elections.

Replying to a question on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s visit to Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot said, “It is a bulldozer government there. Is this the way to rule? Is it a democracy? Some people become happy due to their words. But if there is no rule of the law then we will also not be secure. Rule of the law is important for everyone.”  “They have destroyed law and order. You can imagine where they are taking the country. I don’t want to get into it,” he said.