A social media exchange between investor T.V. Mohandas Pai and journalist Chitra Subramaniam escalated into a sharp online confrontation after The News Minute shared a post about Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy opting out of Karnataka’s caste survey. TNM said that the Murthy family’s decision to not participate in Karnataka’s ongoing caste survey, while the act is not illegal, it raises questions about civic responsibility.
Narayana and Sudha Murty skip Karnataka’s ‘caste survey’. It’s not against the law, but here’s why it’s a problem https://t.co/1hyzUzRtQn
— TheNewsMinute (@thenewsminute) October 19, 2025
Subramaniam quote-tweeted the post, launching a sharp critique: “The Murthys displaying staggering arrogance. Government benefits and political appointments are use and throw for them.”
Mohandas Pai strongly rebutted her statement, accusing her of spreading falsehoods and defending the Murthys’ record of public service. He wrote that the Murthys “got nothing out of turn,” had served on committees for the common good, and that Subramaniam’s remarks amounted to “cheap yellow journalism,” further alleging that The News Minute had become known for such reporting after what he described as a “fake Dharmasthala campaign.”
Chitra Subramaniam responded by comparing Bengaluru’s tech leadership with Silicon Valley and criticized Pai’s language as “inelegant.” She added that Pai had declined an invitation to her workshop on whistleblowers and wished him a “Happy Deepawali.”
Pai fired back, dismissing her comparison of the US and Indian economies as an “inanity” he attributed to her lack of understanding. He clarified that his previous appearance on TNM was due to his respect for editor Dhanya Rajendran, but stated that after the “Dharmasthala Hit Job,” the outlet’s “true colours as Yellow journalists has come out.”
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