DK Shivakumar warns of action against firms found sidelining Kannadigas

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has warned that the state government will take appropriate action against private institutions found deliberately denying job opportunities to Kannadigas.

In a post on X on Sunday, Shivakumar said the government had taken seriously complaints that native Kannada speakers were being overlooked during recruitment by IT companies in Bengaluru. He said the state would not allow the rights, dignity and employment opportunities of Kannadigas to be disregarded.

“In Karnataka, the Kannadiga is sovereign,” Shivakumar said, adding that the government would act if any private institution was found to have deliberately sidelined local candidates.

The remarks came amid a social media controversy over hiring practices in Bengaluru’s technology sector. A video circulating online featured a woman alleging that some companies were rejecting candidates who listed Kannada as their mother tongue on their resumes. She also raised concerns about recruitment practices favouring candidates from other states.

These claims have prompted debate over employment opportunities for local residents and hiring practices in the state’s private sector. However, the allegations do not establish that such practices are widespread across Bengaluru’s IT industry.

Shivakumar also highlighted Bengaluru’s position as India’s technology hub, saying the state took pride in the talent and skills of Kannadigas. He did not announce any specific new policy or enforcement measures alongside his warning.

The issue revives a wider debate in Karnataka over employment preferences for local residents in private companies, including the state government’s earlier proposal to introduce quotas for Kannadigas in private-sector jobs.