‘Narayana Murthy side mein naach raha hai’: Karnataka’s 12-hour workday proposal triggers online meme fest

As the Karnataka government proposed an increase in daily work hours and overtime limits, it sparked a wave of online reactions.

Narayana Murthy workweek

Many people have cited Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour workweek debate from last year and condemned the policy.

As reported by the news agency PTI, the state is considering amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, and the corresponding Rules of 1963, pushing the upper limit on daily working hours from 9 to 10, and allowing overtime up to 12 hours in a day.

The proposed revisions would also raise the three-month cap on overtime work from 50 hours to 144 hours.

Reportedly, the state Labour Department held a meeting on Wednesday with industry representatives and union leaders to discuss a proposed amendment to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act.

This amendment would legitimise 12-hour workdays, paving the way for a two-shift system, potentially cutting the workforce by a third.

Union condemns govt policy

Several trade unions have immediately voiced strong opposition, calling it “modern-day slavery”.

The union has urged employees across the IT sector to stand together and push back against the change, warning that it could jeopardise work-life balance and threaten job security. KITU noted that its leaders, Suhas Adiga and Lenil Babu, attended the meeting.

“The government is attempting to normalise inhuman conditions. This amendment is not about productivity — it’s about pleasing corporate bosses by turning human beings into machines,” Adiga said, as quoted by the agency.

Netizens react

Meanwhile, netizens have been poking fun at Murthy's earlier controversial remarks.

"Narayana Murthy’s long-cherished dream has finally come true," quipped one user on X, referencing the Infosys boss’s advice for a 70-hour workweek that initiated national debate.

Another user wrote, “Karnataka should just call them Narayana Murthy Hours,” poking fun at the state’s proposal to stretch workdays and overtime limits.

A third said, “He must’ve been on the board that proposed this.”

“Narayana Murthy side mein naach raha hai (Murthy must be dancing on the sidelines),” commented another user.

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