Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar warns firms of action if Kannadigas sidelined in recruitment

Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday warned private companies of action if they were found deliberately excluding Kannadigas from recruitment, following claims made by a woman on social media, who sought CM’s intervention.

“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 in a post on X.

He said the government would act against any private institution found to have deliberately denied opportunities to local candidates. “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.

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Social media allegations prompt calls for intervention

The issue came to the fore after a video surfaced on social media in which a woman alleged that some IT companies in Bengaluru were rejecting candidates who identified Kannada as their mother tongue on their resumes. She also claimed that companies were hiring candidates from other states at lower salaries.

“Due to this we are not getting jobs,” the woman said in the video, appealing to the CM to intervene.

HT couldn’t independently verify the allegations. To be sure, the government has not named any company against which it is considering action.

The woman also alleged that some employers preferred candidates proficient in Tamil and Telugu over applicants who identified Kannada as their mother tongue. A separate social media post named a Bengaluru-based company and made similar allegations, which have not been independently established.

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Reactions and debate over local employment

The claims drew reactions from pro-Kannada organisations and social media users, who called for government intervention to protect employment opportunities for local youth. Kannada activist Rupesh Rajanna reportedly alleged that some companies were targeting Kannada employees and warned of agitation.

The dispute adds to a longstanding debate in Karnataka over local employment in the private sector, particularly in Bengaluru’s IT industry, which recruits professionals from across India and abroad.

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Earlier plans and proposed reservation bill

Earlier this year, Shivakumar outlined plans to fill 56,000 vacant government posts and provide preference to Kannadigas in private sector employment.

The question of local hiring gained wider attention in July 2024, when the state cabinet approved a bill proposing reservations for Kannadigas in private companies. The legislation envisaged 70% reservation in non management positions and 50% in management positions.