The remarks came a day after a video of a young woman alleging language-based discrimination in hiring by Bengaluru’s IT companies went viral on social media.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday warned private companies that the state government would act against them if they were found to have deliberately kept Kannadigas out of jobs, declaring that “in Karnataka, the Kannadiga is sovereign”.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said in a post on X, “If it is found that any private institution has deliberately sidelined Kannadigas, the government will take appropriate action.”
Earlier reporting noted: DK Shivakumar warns IT firms of action if found sidelining locals in Bengaluru: ‘Kannadiga is sovereign’ Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday said the state government would take action against private firms found to be deliberately sidelining Kannadigas, following ‘complaints’ that native Kannada speakers were being denied job opportunities in Bengaluru’s IT companies. He added, “In Karnataka, the Kannadiga is sovereign. The government will not allow the rights, dignity, and opportunities of Kannadigas to be disregarded for any reason. A prominent Kannada activist, Rupesh Rajanna, who shared the video on X, alleged that such practices had been going on for a long time and that, although the matter had been brought to the government’s attention, it had not taken adequate action. He asked Shivakumar to be more specific.
In 2024, the then Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka cabinet cleared a draft bill mandating quotas for locals in private-sector jobs, which was put on hold after pushback from industry bodies.
Shivakumar said in a post on X, “If it is found that any private institution has deliberately sidelined Kannadigas, the government will take appropriate action. Referring to the city’s global standing in the IT sector, Shivakumar said, “The world sees Bengaluru as India’s technology capital, and we take immense pride in the talent, skills, and capabilities of our Kannadigas. He said the government, as “the voice of Kannadiga interests”, remained committed to responding to their concerns. She also alleged, “Campus interviews are not being conducted in Bengaluru colleges,” and urged the chief minister, “Please provide a solution to this problem. BJP spokesperson Ashok Gowda said Shivakumar should take action and answer what kind of jobs are being created by the Congress government. “We are not asking for government jobs per se, but in the private sector, to create new jobs wherein Kannadigas will be encouraged, what kind of actions have been taken?” he asked. On existing jobs, he said, “Of course, there can be rules which can be formulated, but to increase jobs, what kind of a role is being played by the government? Earlier reporting noted: In a post on X, Shivakumar said the government had taken the complaints seriously and would not allow the rights, dignity and employment opportunities of Kannadigas to be disregarded. Earlier reporting noted: “It is disheartening to hear complaints that Kannadigas are being denied job opportunities in Bengaluru’s IT companies,” he said, adding that the government would take appropriate action if any private institution was found to have deliberately sidelined them.
