Siddaramaiah removes social media post on job quota as backlash mounts

The Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka on Tuesday had tabled a bill to give Kannadigas reservation for jobs in the private sector.

According to the Bill, 50 per cent of jobs in the management category - supervisory, managerial, technical, operational, administrative and higher positions - should be reserved for local candidates.

However, after backlash mounted from the industrial sector, the chief minister decided to delete a tweet in which he had announced the decision and said, "Our government's aspiration is that no Kannadigas should be deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada so that they can lead peaceful lives. Ours is a pro-Kannada government".

The Bill also expected employers to reserve 75 per cent of non-management category jobs - clerical, unskilled, semi-skilled, employees in IT and ITeS firms, contract and casual workers.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government is bringing a law mandating 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in group C and D jobs in the private sector.

Following this, reactions have started pouring in from all corners, since Bengaluru being the IT capital of the country, many migrate from other parts of India to the city for jobs.

Saurabh Jain, the former Vice President of PayTM, said in a post on X, "Have 100% quota for locals in Karnataka. All IT companies will then shift to Amravati, Gujarat or North India! Many locals in Bangalore will be happy because non native people will go away forever."

Biocon Limited Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw slammed the decision in a post on X and said, "As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy."

Mazumdar flagged a post by R K Mishra to voice her displeasure over the decision. Mishra too is unhappy with the proposed reservation. Terming the decision as 'short-sighted', he said in his tweet, "This will scare Indian IT & GCCs".

Regular citizens have also been voicing their opinions on the decision on social media. One user on X said after the bill was tabled, "Kejriwal started freebies menace. Now Karnataka starting menace of reservation for local, other state will follow this soon but its holistic effect will be disastrous in India as every region will start demanding their quota for enterprise & migrated people will face instability."

Another said, "Implementing private quota in Greater Bengaluru jurisdiction is a fine idea. But this will spell doom for green field projects in North Karnataka backward regions. But then sound policy decisions is not a priority for politicians. Win elections at all costs is."

Businessman and philanthropist TV Mohandas Pai has also reacted negatively to the decision.

He said in an interview with ANI, "...If you want to promote Kannadigas for jobs, spend more money on higher education. Give training to them. Spend more money on skill development. Spend more money on internships, spend more money on apprenticeship programs. So they all become skilled. Not like this. What are you trying to achieve by this?..."

With DHNS inputs