New York: While lecturing at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, a yearly event organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs to bring the Indian Diaspora together, Kamal Nath, minister for commerce and industry said, “The Indian IT business has been pampered for a long time. There is a disconnection between the IT sector and the rest of India.”

While responding a question asked by a delegate at the meeting on how the Indian IT businesses will expand post 2009 when the tax benefits the industry presently enjoys are inhibited.

“Every other business is blaming the government for discriminating in favour of the IT business,” he told.

Mr. Nath, “The pharmaceuticals business is now asking for tax breaks on the lines of what IT currently enjoys. Therefore, the government cannot be seen as favouring one business against another.”

“But we are also examining what can be done to protect the interests of the IT business,” he said.

Whilst the industry has seen the move approaching and Nasscom, a body, which shows the industry has been buttonholing for an prolongation of tax holiday by the coming 10 years, the minister’s remarks set the cat among the pigeons.

Ramalinga Raju, chairman, Satyam Computer said, “Chinese government fights tooth and nail to protect businesses from competition. In our case, it’s only been 10 years since the business has come into its own and we need some more time to ground ourselves before tax holidays are withdrawn.”