CHIEF MINISTER SIDDARAMAIAH is known for his affinity towards Kannada nela (land), jala (water) and bhashe (language) since the time he served as the first chairman of the Kannada Kavalu Samiti (Kannada watch committee) in the mid-1980s to supervise the implementation of Kannada as Karnataka’s official language.
Four decades later, he finds himself in a mess after pushing for a long pending bill on job quota for Kannadigas in the private sector. The bill mandates job quota for locals―50 per cent reservation in administrative posts, 75 per cent for non-administrative posts and 100 per cent for grade C and D jobs. Following a pushback from the industries, however, Siddaramaiah was forced to put the bill on hold. It was not tabled in the assembly, as the government cited the need for “wider consultations”.
During his first stint as chief minister (2013-2018), Siddaramaiah had made Kannada a compulsory subject in schools and colleges. He tackled the BJP’s nationalism card and the JD(S)’s regionalism card by espousing the Kannada identity. He proposed a Kannada flag for the state and fought against what he felt was the Centre’s “imposition” of Hindi. He had serious reservations about the metro train network in Bengaluru using Hindi on signboards, too.
But the changing face of Bengaluru as a global city that attracts billions of dollars in investment, and its reputation as a melting pot of diverse cultures, do not go well with the “Kannada first” pitch. Karnataka is home to people speaking several languages owing to the linguistic reorganisation of states and also because of migration for jobs and education.
The National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) said it was “disappointed” and “deeply concerned” about the bill. Several leaders of the tech world, too, expressed their concern. Said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon, “As a tech hub, we need skilled talent... There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy.” Mohandas Pai, former chief financial officer of Infosys, said the bill was “discriminatory, regressive and against the Constitution”.
Those who are opposed to the bill argue that it goes against Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s “common citizenship” principle established by the Constitution under Article 14 (right to equality), Articles 15 and 16 (prohibition of discrimination), Article 19 (freedom to practise any profession) and Article 21 (right to livelihood). But the same clauses also allow for affirmative action in favour of socially and educationally backward classes.
Amid speculation over the new bill hurting Brand Bengaluru, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Bengaluru development minister, said, “No investor needs to worry. If Bengaluru’s population has reached 1.4 crore today, it is because we have welcomed outsiders from across the world. We will discuss the bill with all stakeholders and look at how and where to create opportunities for Kannadigas.”
The sudden U-turn drew flak from pro-Kannada outfits and opposition parties. The BJP-JD(S) alliance, which is trying to corner the Siddaramaiah government over the Valmiki corporation scam (alleged embezzlement of Rs187 crore), Mysore Urban Development Authority’s land compensation scam (involving allotment of 14 sites to the chief minister’s wife, Parvathi) and the diversion of SC/ST funds to the government’s poll guarantee schemes, has found a new whip to flog the government. “The Congress government not tabling the historic bill has once again proven that the anti-Karnataka lobby opposed to Kannada pride and ethos has triumphed,” said state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra. He said the Congress high command had tied the hands of the chief minister to avoid a rift with its INDIA bloc allies. “We dare Siddaramaiah to table the bill in the current assembly session or face the wrath of the people. The government is playing with the lives of Kannadigas and has insulted them,” said Vijayendra.
In Bengaluru, which attracts expats besides jobseekers from across the country, the growing hostility towards outsiders is worrying. The “Hindi-wala” taunts on the streets and also on social media and the concerns of Kannada activists about their language losing its primacy speak volumes about the fear of alienation felt by the local people. The demand for job quotas is not just a question of political compulsion, but also a matter of social and economic inclusion.
Several Kannadiga netizens have taken to social media to vent their anguish. “It is not merit, but nepotism at play in the IT sector. Most senior managers from north India or other states hire people from their home states. An unwritten policy is to keep local people away for fear of unionism, too. Some HR managers prefer outsiders as they clock in more hours at work,” said a local techie.
The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike led by T.A. Narayana Gowda criticised the government for stalling the bill. “It is a betrayal. The corporate lobby has blackmailed the government which was elected by crores of Kannadigas,” he said. “We will launch a statewide protest if the bill is not cleared in the next cabinet meeting.”