Kannadiga quota: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's fresh post after row has no mention of 100% reservation for locals

NEW DELHI: Hours after deleting social media post on 100 per cent reservation for Kannadiga amid massive row, Karnataka chief minister announced the cabinet decision once again on X. The missing part -- mandatory recruitment of 100 per cent Kannadigas for 'C and D' grade posts in all private institutions.
"The cabinet meeting held on Monday approved the bill to fix 50% reservation for administrative posts and 75% for non-administrative posts for Kannadigas in private industries and other organizations of the state," Siddaramaiah tweeted in Kannada.
"It is our government's wish that the Kannadigas should be given an opportunity to lead a comfortable life in the motherland and 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," the post read.
The fresh post, however, had no mention of "100 per cent quota for C and D grade posts" which was announced in earlier post.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Jayant Singh criticised the move of Karnataka government terming it 'regressive and bad economics'.
"Karnataka State mandating up to 100% reservations in Private sector for locals is regressive & bad economics! I have spoken on this previously as well & I believe such measures by any State are violative of constitutional rights of all Indians!" Singh said on X.
Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar mentioned that the government will look into the concerns of companies. "No investors need to worry. We want investors to come to Karnataka. There are certain sections of the people who are talented and have come from outside the state. We want them to work in Karnataka. Bengaluru's population has grown to 1.4 crores because of the outsiders coming here to work. We just want to give them scope... We are more worried than both the employer and the employee. We will see where we can accommodate Kannadigas," he said.
The controversial bill
The bill titled the 'State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024' is scheduled to be tabled on Thursday in Karnataka assembly.
On the appointment of 'local candidates', the bill, a copy of which is with PTI, says, "Any industry, factory or other establishments shall appoint fifty percent of local candidates in management categories and seventy percent in non-management categories."
If the candidates do not possess secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language, they must pass a Kannada proficiency test as specified by the 'Nodal Agency', it says.
If the qualified local candidates are not available, the establishments within three years with active collaboration of government or its agencies should take steps to train them, it says.
If sufficient number of local candidates are not available, then an establishment may apply for relaxation from the provisions of this Act to the government.
"Such orders passed by the Government shall be final: Provided that, the relaxation provided under this section shall not be less than twenty five percent for management category and fifty percent for non-management categories," the proposed bill says.
'Discriminatory': Industry slams the move
As Karnataka cabinet approved the quota bill, major industrialists slammed the move calling it 'discriminatory'.
Biocon Ltd executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said the move "must not affect our leading position in technology".
"As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy," she wrote on X.
Former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai also reacted calling it a fascist bill.
"This bill should be junked. It is discriminatory, regressive and against the constitution @Jairam_Ramesh is govt to certify who we are? This is a fascist bill as in Animal Farm, unbelievable that @INCIndia can come up with a bill like this- a govt officer will sit on recruitment committees of private sector? People have to take a language test?” Pai wrote.

Trade association National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) also said that it is ‘seriously concerned’ about the new bill and urged the Karnataka government to withdraw the bill.
"NASSCOM members are seriously concerned about the provisions of this bill and urge the state government to withdraw the bill. The bill’s provisions threaten to reverse this progress, drive away companies, and stifle startups, especially when more global firms (GCCs) are looking to invest in the state. At the same time, the restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce," it said on Wednesday.