Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai recently countered Naukri.com founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani after the latter questioned Tesla founder Elon Musk's growing influence within the Trump administration 2.0.
Bikhchandani drew parallels with the East India Company and prophesised that America is headed towards a "dystopian future". Responding to this, Pai said that the example of the East India Company is a bad one and highlighted the colonial-era EIC's iron-hand rule in India to substantiate his point.
He further said that Musk is, in fact, doing a great service to the US and mentioned that Donald Trump is very clear as to who is the boss in the White House.
"Sanjeev pl read your history. The EIC ruled a country with a military and they made laws. Elon is helping his president, doing work under his directions, that too a President like Donald Trump who is very clear he is the President. Bad example. Elon is doing a great service to the US," Pai wrote on X.
Bikhchandani further had his doubts over Musk's ability to balance his role as the head of DOGE and the CEO of his companies. "He cannot be meeting visiting Prime Ministers as a private company CEO advocating his interests on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and be in government heading DOGE on Tuesday and Thursday. Pick one."
He also mentioned that such a scenario would never exist in India. "You would never have the founder, promoter, and CEO of a listed company be a Cabinet Minister three days a week and be discharging his or her duties in the company two days a week."
Bikhchandani's comment comes days after Musk's recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting with Musk took place before Modi's meeting and discussions with Trump, fueling murmurs of a potential conflict of interest.
Musk has grabbed the headlines due to the sweeping changes he has been making in the US agencies. He is also under the radar due to his team gaining access to government systems and influencing policy decisions.