‘Kannadigas are sovereign in Karnataka’: CM DK Shivakumar warns IT firms of action over hiring bias

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has warned that action will be taken against private companies found deliberately sidelining Kannadigas in recruitment, asserting that the government would protect their rights, dignity and employment opportunities. His remarks came after a video in which a woman alleged language-based discrimination in hiring at Bengaluru's IT companies went viral on social media.

In a post on X, Shivakumar said appropriate action would be taken against any private establishment found deliberately excluding Kannadigas. The woman alleged in the video that candidates who identify Kannada as their mother tongue in job applications were being eliminated during shortlisting or at the interview stage. She claimed that companies instead favoured Telugu- and Tamil-speaking candidates and recruited young people from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at lower salaries. She also alleged that campus interviews were not being conducted at colleges in Bengaluru and urged the Chief Minister to intervene.

The allegations have not been independently verified. Kannada activist Rupesh Rajanna, who shared the video on X, alleged that such practices had been continuing for a long time. He also claimed that the issue had been brought to the government's attention but that adequate action had not been taken.

The controversy has renewed attention on Karnataka's proposal to reserve private-sector jobs for local candidates. In July 2024, the Siddaramaiah-led government approved a draft Bill proposing reservations for local candidates in private-sector establishments. The proposal, which envisaged reservations of 50% in management positions and 75% in non-management positions, was subsequently put on hold following opposition from industry bodies. The proposed quotas were not implemented under that draft Bill.