Lagatar24 Desk
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has paused the implementation of a controversial bill that mandates private sector firms in the state to reserve jobs for Kannadigas. Announced on Monday, the bill requires companies in India’s IT capital to prioritize local hires for 70% of non-management roles and 50% of management-level jobs. This significant move was declared by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday evening.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah emphasized his administration’s commitment to ensuring that “Kannadigas get an opportunity to lead a comfortable life in the motherland… and avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada.” However, his post on X stated that the bill mandated 100% reservation at certain levels, which sparked immediate backlash.
Prominent business leaders, including Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, along with opposition parties led by the BJP, voiced their concerns and criticism towards the Congress government. Despite the controversy, the bill found unexpected support from Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, who expressed his backing for measures that benefit the backward classes, including OBCs, SCs, and STs.
Athawale, the MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment, told NDTV, “My party demands Government of India and states give reservations to OBCs in the private sector. We are not opposing candidates from the General Category.”
Following the uproar, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s post was deleted, and Labour Minister Santosh Lad provided clarifications. Lad explained, “At management level, it has been decided to provide reservation of 50 per cent. At the non-management level, it has been decided to provide work to 70 per cent.” He added that companies unable to find suitable skilled candidates from the local pool could hire from outside the state.
Lad assured that there is no shortage of talent in Karnataka, stating, “If such skills are not available (in Kannadigas) then the jobs can be outsourced. The government is trying to bring in a law to give preference to locals… if skilled labour is available here.”
The proposed bill received a mixed reception. Some businesspersons labeled it “discriminatory,” while others, like Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, acknowledged the importance of ensuring jobs for locals but added conditions.
NASSCOM, representing India’s $200 billion technology industry, called for the bill’s withdrawal, warning that it “threatens to drive away companies” and could force them to relocate if local skilled talent becomes scarce.
In response to these concerns, Minister Lad expressed willingness to engage with stakeholders. “We respect their apprehensions and their views. We will talk to them…” he said.
The bill, drafted by the Labour Department, argued that jobs in question were predominantly going to individuals from northern states who then settled in Karnataka. It suggested that Karnataka-based companies benefiting from state-provided infrastructure should reserve jobs for locals.
The policy proposal reflected recommendations from the Sarojini Mahishi Committee, which suggested that industrial units with over 50 workers reserve 65% and 80% of Group A and Group B jobs, respectively, for Kannadigas. The committee also recommended that all Group C and Group D jobs be reserved for Kannadigas.
As the debate continues, the Karnataka government will further study the bill to address the concerns raised by various stakeholders and ensure a balanced approach to local job reservations.
