'Some confusion': Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah tells Assembly on jobs-for-locals Bill

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the Assembly on Thursday that his government put on hold a Bill reserving jobs for Kannadigas in the private sector due to "some confusion".

Siddaramaiah said this after Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka asked the government to clarify on its U-turn. He even dubbed the the government as "Tughlaq Sarkar".

Responding to this, Siddaramaiah said the Cabinet could not have a complete discussion on the Bill in its meeting held Monday. "By then, reports appeared in the media (on the approval of the Bill)," he said. "There was some confusion. We'll clear the confusion in the next Cabinet meeting," he said.

Ashoka pointed out that Siddaramaiah had changed his stance on X (formerly Twitter) thrice. He said Siddaramaiah first tweeted, and later deleted, that the Cabinet had approved a Bill reserving 100 per cent group c & d jobs in the private sector for Kannadigas. Ashoka said the CM, in another tweet, talked about "50 per cent management and 75 per cent non-management jobs" for Kannadigas in the private sector. "Finally, you announced that the Bill is on hold. There appears to be a Tughlaq Sarkar in the state," he said.

“There is no Tughlaq government. There's a Siddaramaiah government. We will take up the Bill in the next cabinet meeting," the CM maintained.

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill required industries, factories and other establishments to appoint 'local candidates' for 50 per cent of management and 70 per cent non-management jobs. The Bill was put on hold following backlash from India Inc.

Meanwhile, the BJP warned the Congress government that it would attract the "wrath" of people if the Bill is not tabled in the ongoing session of the legislature.

"Why did you bring the Bill to give employment to Kannadigas? Why did you hold it back? Why mess with the lives of Kannadigas?" BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said on X.

"Let the government table the Bill, which has given hope to lakhs of unemployed people in rural areas deprived of job opportunities despite their qualifications, in the current session, or else get ready to face the anger of Kannadigas," he said.

Alleging the handiwork of "anti-Karnataka forces", Vijayendra wondered if the CM was fearful of a split in the INDI Alliance or that powers in Delhi forced him to take the "escapist" decision.