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DK Shivakumar warns IT firms of action if found sidelining locals in Bengaluru: 'Kannadiga is sovereign'
The remarks come amid a longstanding debate in Karnataka over providing employment opportunities to locals in the private sector.
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Karnataka chief minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the government would take action against private firms found deliberately denying job opportunities to Kannadigas. His statement followed a social media video alleging that Kannada-speaking job seekers were being rejected by information technology (IT) companies in Bengaluru.
“It is disheartening to hear complaints that Kannadigas are being denied job opportunities in Bengaluru’s IT companies. The government has taken seriously the issue of native Kannada speakers being sidelined,” Shivakumar said on X.
He said the government would act against private institutions found deliberately excluding local candidates from recruitment.
“In Karnataka, the Kannadiga is sovereign. The government will not allow the rights, dignity, and opportunities of Kannadigas to be disregarded for any reason,” he said.
Video alleges bias against Kannada-speaking candidates
The controversy began after a woman shared a video alleging that some IT companies in Bengaluru were rejecting candidates who identified Kannada as their mother tongue on their resumes.
She claimed that companies were recruiting candidates from other states at lower salaries instead of providing more opportunities to graduates from Bengaluru colleges.
“Due to this we are not getting job opportunities,” the woman said, appealing to Shivakumar to intervene.
The video also alleged that some employers preferred candidates proficient in Tamil and Telugu over those who identified Kannada as their mother tongue.
A separate social media post named a Bengaluru-based company and made similar allegations. The claims have not been independently verified by HT. The government has not named any company against which it is considering action.
Pro-Kannada groups seek government intervention
The allegations drew reactions from pro-Kannada organisations and members of the public, who called for government intervention to protect employment opportunities for local youth.
Kannada activist Rupesh Rajanna also alleged that some companies were targeting Kannada employees and warned of agitation, according to reports.
Debate over local employment in Karnataka
The dispute adds to a longstanding debate in Karnataka over local employment in the private sector, particularly in Bengaluru’s technology industry, which recruits professionals from across India and abroad.
Earlier this year, Shivakumar outlined plans to fill 56,000 vacant government posts and provide preference to Kannadigas in private-sector employment.
Karnataka's push for jobs for locals
The issue drew attention in July 2024, when the Karnataka cabinet approved a bill seeking to reserve jobs in the private sector for Kannadigas.
The proposed legislation mandated 70% reservation for locals in non-management positions and 50% in management positions in private companies.
The bill triggered strong opposition from industry representatives and political leaders, with concerns raised over its potential impact on businesses and the technology sector.
Following the backlash, the then-chief minister Siddaramaiah announced that the government had temporarily put the bill on hold and that it would be reviewed at the next cabinet meeting before a decision was taken on the future course of action.
Siddaramaiah had earlier said on X that the proposed legislation would reserve “100%” of jobs for Kannadigas, a statement that drew criticism from business leaders. The government subsequently clarified that the bill approved by the cabinet had been temporarily put on hold.
