'Global tech giants aren't here for our dosas': Founder slams Kannadiga reservation bill, says he is eyeing Chennai
A prominent start-up founder hit out at the Kannadiga reservation bill and warned that the policy could undermine Bengaluru’s status as a tech hub.
The Karnataka government is coming under intense fire from industry leaders after the approval of a draft bill that proposes significant reservation quotas for locals in various job categories. Under the legislation, there would be a 50 percent reservation for residents in management positions and a 70 percent reservation for non-management roles.
The controversial move has sparked a wave of criticism on social media from prominent business figures, even as it has been put on hold by authorities after facing backlash. Among the dissenters is an anonymous start-up founder who took to Grapevine to express concerns that the introduction of a "Kannada only" policy could signal the end of Bengaluru's dominance as a tech hub in the country.
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In a candid post on a news discussion board, user ‘Informal Tool’ - a Chennai native who has spent the past decade growing his business in Bengaluru - shared that the recent decision might push him to consider relocating his enterprise to Chennai.
Saumil Tripathi, founder of Grapevine - an app to discuss career advice, salary details, among other things - took to social media site X to share the post from the news discussion, writing, “This comment from a BLR founder becomes the fastest comment to reach 200 likes.”
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"Let's get real: Tech contributes 25% of Karnataka's GDP. That's Z3.5 lakh crore annually. Watch half of that evaporate with this braindead move. (It's a rant, don't come at me verifying the data) Global tech giants aren't here for our dosas. It's the diverse talent pool, genius. Now you want to slap a "Kannada Only" sign on it? We're already bleeding talent to Hyderabad and Pune. This? This is handing them our workforce gift-wrapped. I've spent a decade building my company here. Now I'm eyeing Chennai. RIP Bangalore tech scene,1990-2024. Cause of death: linguistic chauvinism and political myopia," the original post from the founder read.
The founder clarified his position on the matter in a follow-up post after receiving hate online, writing, “Let me make one thing clear, I actually identify myself more with Bengaluru than with my hometown Chennai - this city has given me and my family everything we have. Me, my wife and kids everyone is fluent in Kannada, that being said, I am 100 percent against imposition of a language on anyone - be it Hindi on Kannadigas or Kannada on ‘immigrants’.”
The X post by Saumil Tripathi also garnered a horde of replies, with one user posting, “OP is going to Chennai of all places to combat linguistic chauvinism?”
While some agreed, saying, “bro is spitting facts,” another response said, “Eyeing Chennai 🤣🤣🤣💀”.