New York: Microsoft's Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella on Monday voiced concern over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), saying what is happening is "sad" and he would love to see a Bangladeshi immigrant create the next unicorn in India.
His comments came while speaking to editors at a Microsoft event in Manhattan where he was asked about the contentious issue of CAA which grants citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
"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," Nadella was quoted as saying by Ben Smith, the Editor-in-Chief of New York-based BuzzFeed News.
In a statement issued by Microsoft India, Nadella said: "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".
Following the row that broke out after Satya Nadella voiced concern over the fallout of the amended citizenship law in India, the BJP on Tuesday said the Centre was protecting borders and framing immigration policy as the Microsoft CEO had said in his official statement.
While BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra did not attack the Indian-origin CEO at the party's press briefing here, another party spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi made an unequivocal jibe at Nadella in a tweet saying his comments showed "how the literate need to be educated".
To a question about the CAA, Nadella, CEO of one of the world's five biggest multinational technology firms, was quoted by Buzzfeed's editor-in-chief as saying that what is happening in India is "sad".
The CEO later issued a more nuanced statement, saying every country should define its borders, protect national security and set immigration policy accordingly.
He also spoke about his upbringing in a multicultural India and subsequent immigrant experience in the United States to say that his hope for India is where an immigrant can aspire to found a prosperous start-up or lead a multinational corporation.
Asked about the controversy following Nadella's remarks, Patra while referring to the Hyderabad-born CEO's statement noted that he had given a "clarification".
"That is what the government of this country has done. We are looking after national security and protecting borders.
"As far as immigrants are concerned, there is a process for citizenship. Anybody can apply for citizenship. Even the prime minister has said so. Once they apply for work permit, for citizenship, many have become citizens. Of course anybody can then do whatever the Constitution has bestowed on them (sic)," Patra said.
In her tweet, Lekhi was, however, critical of Nadella.
"How literate need to be educated! Perfect example," Lekhi said on Twitter in response to Nadella's remarks and also posted his statement issued later by Microsoft India.
"Precise reason for CAA is to grant opportunities to persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan & Afghanistan. How about granting these opportunities to Syrian Muslims instead of Yezidis in USA?" she went on to say.
The Centre last week issued a gazette notification announcing that the CAA has come into effect from January 10, 2020.
The CAA was passed by Parliament on December 11.
According to the legislation, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 due to religious persecution will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
There have been widespread protests against the Act in different parts of the country.
In UP, at least 19 persons were killed in anti-CAA protests.
(PTI)