Chennai: Accenture Solutions managing director Rama S Ramachandran on Tuesday denied that he has agreed to speak at or attend an RSS event to be organized next month in Chennai.
The organisers have removed his name from the invite after it drew criticism from twitterati over his participation. The RSS Chennai website now displays an updated programme schedule.
Ramachandran, head of Acenture’s Chennai operations, was slated to be the ‘guest of honour’ at the event. The event 'Resurgent Bharath' is planned to be held on Feb. 2 by the IT wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Chennai.
RSS chief, All India Public Outreach, Anirudha Deshpande, is expected to deliver the keynote address that day and Zoho Corporation founder Sridhar Vembu, the chief guest.
In a tweet, Ramachandran said, "I am not sure how this misunderstanding happened, but I have no affiliation with this group and never agreed to speak at or attend this event."
With Twitter users expressing anger over the participation of business executives attending political events, Vembu had responded saying, "I don't decide my views based on Twitter attacks. If you dislike which events I attend, please do what your conscience dictates and I will do what mine dictates."
He added, "We earn our daily bread due to our work and we will continue to do quality work. I won't be responding to attacks."
Some of the comments posted by Twitter users were, "Sridhar Vembu, Chairman of India's @zoho flaunts his association with the Nazi-inspired fascist RSS, whose aim is to make minorities second class citizens and is currently going a rampage at Universities and against critics of the regime #BoycottZoho."
Another said "Just wanted to know from folks at @AccentureIndia @Accenture @zoho @zohosocial as to what is their corporate policy on attending functions organised by religious bodies?"
