KANNADIGA QUOTA BILL NEEDS TO BE RECONSIDERED

ALREADY facing a backlash from the opposition for alleged corruption and nepotism, the Congress government in Karnataka suffered a loss of face on July 17.

- B S ARUN

Within a few hours of announcing a law to reserve private sector jobs for Kannadigas in the state, it encountered sharp protests from the industry and put the bill on hold. It was to be tabled in the assembly a week later.

Such was the ill-prepared cabinet proposal that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had to change his social media post on the law three times during the course of a day. His first post said: "The cabinet meeting... approved a bill to make it mandatory to hire 100 percent Kannadigas for C and D grade posts in all private industries in the state. It is our government's wish that the Kannadigas should avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada... We are a pro-Kannada government. Our priority is to look after the welfare of Kannadigas."

He deleted the post and came up with a new one in the evening saying the government proposed to reserve 50 percent of the jobs in administrative and managerial posts in private companies and 75 percent in non-managerial posts. Yet another post later said the bill was under preparation and the next cabinet meeting would thoroughly discuss it. In other words, the controversial proposal-the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024-has been put on hold.