After drawing severe flak from several quarters, including industry leaders and experts, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah appeared to backtrack on the government’s proposal to extend a 100 per cent job quota for Kannadigas.
Taking to X, Siddaramaiah tweeted that the bill is still in the anvil and yet to take the final form.
“The bill intended to implement reservation for Kannadigas in private sector institutions, industries and enterprises is still in preparation. A final decision will be taken after a comprehensive discussion in the next cabinet meeting,” Siddaramaiah tweeted in Kannadiga on X.
ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ಖಾಸಗಿ ವಲಯದ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳು, ಕೈಗಾರಿಕೆಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಉದ್ದಿಮೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮೀಸಲಾತಿ ಕಲ್ಪಿಸುವ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಜಾರಿಗೆ ತರಲು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿದ್ದ ವಿಧೇಯಕವು ಇನ್ನೂ ಸಿದ್ಧತೆಯ ಹಂತದಲ್ಲಿದೆ.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 17, 2024
ಮುಂದಿನ ಸಚಿವ ಸಂಪುಟ ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮಗ್ರವಾಗಿ ಚರ್ಚಿಸಿ ಅಂತಿಮ ನಿರ್ಣಯ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗುವುದು.
On Monday (16th July), the Congress government in Karnataka held a cabinet meeting headed by CM Siddaramaiah. It decided to present seven bills including 100% reservation for Kannadigas in Category C and D jobs in all private industries in the state. However, the legislation extending reservations in the private sector has triggered massive opposition from top Industry leaders and within the state government.
Notably, after facing massive backlash, CM Siddaramaih reportedly deleted his post that highlighted the Cabinet’s decision to extend reservations in the private sector. Additionally, two of his senior ministers have slammed the Labour Ministry for bringing the draft bill without consulting other Ministries and holding discussions with Industry bodies.
Significantly, one of the draft bills seeks to reserve 50% of management jobs and 75% of non-management jobs for local Kannadigas in the private sector. According to news agency ANI, the bill to provide 100% job reservation for Kannadigas in C and D grade jobs was approved in the Cabinet meeting. The bill is called the State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024. Officials from the Labour Department said that the Bill will be presented and passed in the same session.
A day after the Cabinet meeting, CM Siddaramaiah hailed his government for the move describing it as a “Pro-Kannada government”. However, the Chief Minister went on to delete the post after facing backlash for the move.
In the now-deleted post, Siddaramaiah had written, “The Cabinet meeting held yesterday approved a bill to make it mandatory to hire 100 per cent Kannadigas for ‘C and D’ grade posts in all private industries in the state. Our government wishes that the Kannadigas should avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada and be allowed to build a comfortable life in the motherland. We are a pro-Kannada government. Our priority is to look after the welfare of Kannadigas.”
