In a bid to bolster local employment, the CON party Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka proposed a truly discriminatory proposition. The Karnataka State Cabinet came up with a proposal mandating Kannadiga reservation in the private sector. Named “The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories, and Other Establishments Bill, 2024” demands 100% reservation for Kannadiga in group C and D jobs.
That’s not all! They also want 75% of middle management roles and 50% of upper management positions for Kannadigas. Under the guise of benefiting the local state population, this perplexing bill drew sharp criticism. Let’s explore the IT sector, Nara Lokesh, Kerala, and others made the CON party repeal the policies within 24 hours!
Flip-Flop On the Kannadiga Quota!
ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಖಾಸಗಿ ಕೈಗಾರಿಕೆಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಇತರೆ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ಆಡಳಿತಾತ್ಮಕ ಹುದ್ದೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಶೇ.50 ಹಾಗೂ ಆಡಳಿತಾತ್ಮಕವಲ್ಲದ ಹುದ್ದೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಶೇ.75 ಮೀಸಲಾತಿ ನಿಗದಿಪಡಿಸುವ ವಿಧೇಯಕಕ್ಕೆ ಸೋಮವಾರ ನಡೆದ ಸಚಿವ ಸಂಪುಟ ಸಭೆಯು ಒಪ್ಪಿಗೆ ನೀಡಿದೆ.
ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರು ಕನ್ನಡದ ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ವಂಚಿತರಾಗುವುದನ್ನು ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿ, ತಾಯ್ನಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ… pic.twitter.com/Rz6a0vNCBz
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 17, 2024
The Kannadiga Quota bill was initially hailed as a “pro-Kannada” initiative by CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. They claimed it was the need of the hour to prioritize Kannadiga interests in the state. However, the immediate backlash from the IT industry forced the government to reconsider. Nasscom, the premier body representing the IT sector and the backbone of Bangaluru’s GDP, voiced serious concerns about this Quota. It minced no words in stating that such a bill would drive away companies and stifle startups.
Nasscome perfectly articulated how the policy would reverse years of progress.
Instead, Kannadiga Quota will harm the state’s reputation as a global tech hub.
Facing mounting pressure, the government quickly put the bill on hold. CM Siddaramaiah posted that the proposal is under review, promising to review it after further consultations with industry stakeholders. This swift reveal and reversal expose the political immaturity of the Congress administration. Moreover, it shows that the CON party is trying to CON the Kaanadiga people by showing interest in populist measures but pulling back when the IT Giants roar back!
The Flaws In Kannadiga Quota Policy
- Economic Impact: Mandating high percentages of local hires in private companies will deter future investment. The Bengaluru IT industry relies on employing 25% of Bharat’s skilled professionals. Thus, restricting Karnataka’s diversity with a forced quota system would limit access to talent, reducing profitability and innovation.
- Talent Pool: Karnataka, and Bengaluru in particular, has thrived as a tech hub due to its ability to attract talent from across the country and the world. In fact, Bengaluru’s laurels rest on the shoulders of the very migrant workers that it wants to throw out today! Therefore, restricting hiring to local candidates would diminish any advantage Karnataka had as an IT Hub!
- Precedent and Legal Issues: Kannadigas are not the first ones to feel the urge to repel people of other states. Similar policies were brought by two other Indian states but were repealed due to legal challenges. In Maharashtra, a 75% local reservation in private sector jobs was proposed. However, it was taken back after facing significant legal and practical hurdles. Haryana also attempted to secure the rights of the locals through quotas. But the Courts again struck down such policies. Thus, all legal voices cite violations of constitutional rights and economic freedoms against such draconian regional politics in the guise of policy.
Did Karnataka Repeal Quota Bill Due To Regional Competition?
The social media post by Siddaramaiah States drew the ire of the private sector. However, neighboring states like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala seized the opportunity to woe and lure discontented IT firms within a few hours of the declaration. Andhra Pradesh’s IT minister, Nara Lokesh, and Kerala’s Law and Industries Minister, P. Rajeev, openly invited Nasscom and other companies to relocate to their states.
Additionally, these states promise excellent infrastructure, uninterrupted power, and a skilled workforce without restrictive quotas. Their proactive approach contrasts sharply with Karnataka’s quota mindset! Thereby, highlighting that if Karnataka becomes hostile to non-Kannadigas, shrewd policies from other states can lure away industries. These invitations by other states and grumblings of the private sector were enough to shake the floor under Karnataka CM’s feet. Within hours of the initial post, CM Siddaramaiah repealed an almost good-to-go decision. Therefore, it seems that the regional competition did shake Karnataka to face its reality!
The draft bill intended to provide reservations for Kannadigas in private sector companies, industries, and enterprises is still in the preparation stage.
A comprehensive discussion will be held in the next cabinet meeting to make a final decision.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 17, 2024
In Summary
A reservation bill that restricts the talent pool to regional choices is a classic case of political short-sightedness. While aiming to address local employment, such a bill overlooks the broader economic implications and the importance of a merit-based, open market for talent. The Congress government’s handling of the situation, marked by initial bravado followed by a hastily beat retreat, underscores either a lack of coherent policy-making or an astute deflection strategy!
Many speculate that the conversation on this Kannadiga Quota bill was a deflecting mechanism Aimed to Hide The CON-Party Cons!
The CON party is inundated with accusations on MUDA Scam and Valmiki Scam! Therefore, the CM used this quota proposal to direct attention away from the great CONs of the CON party! CONgress is aware that the private sector owes nothing to the government. Hence, industries will not to put CON party appeasement above their needs for a quality, talent, or profits. Therefore, the Karnataka CON party’s politics diverted attention from scams, appeased Kannadiga voters, and bowed to industrial needs by repealing the proposal, all within 24 hours! Thus, what seems like a misstep might just be simple, shrewd politics! Let’s hope that the quota was just posturing and chaffing by the CON party; and no such bill will be passed in State Assembly. Otherwise, Karnataka might end up facing a revolt by the very indiustries that made it the IT Hub of India!