Stepping up its campaign for employment opportunities for Kannadigas in Karnataka’s IT-BT sector, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) began approaching technology companies across Bengaluru, seeking details of their local hiring practices and measures taken to provide employment to eligible candidates from the state.
As part of its month-long campaign, launched on November 1 to coincide with Kannada Rajyotsava, KRV teams visited three companies in Bengaluru and submitted demand letters to their managements.
A team led by KRV state vice-president Abbigeri Vinod visited Executive Centre India Limited at Safina Tower on Ali Askar Road. Another delegation, led by KRV district unit president T A Dharmaraj Gowda, visited Quality Evaluations on Magadi
Road and submitted a representation. Meanwhile, a team headed by KRV state vice-president Veerabhadra visited the HP Enterprise office at B Narayanapura in KR Puram and handed over a demand letter.
In its representation, the organisation raised concerns over complaints that qualified local candidates are not receiving adequate employment opportunities in IT-BT companies operating in Karnataka.
“Providing employment opportunities to talented youth of Karnataka is not charity extended to Kannadigas. It is your social responsibility,” the letter stated, urging companies to engage with the local community respectfully and ensure fair opportunities for qualified candidates.
KRV has sought details of the total workforce in these companies, the proportion of employees from Karnataka and the number of local candidates recruited over the past three years. It has also sought clarity on recruitment criteria, complaints of discrimination, and initiatives taken by companies to provide skill development, training, internships and employment opportunities to local youth.
The organisation has argued that companies benefiting from Karnataka’s land, water, electricity, roads, infrastructure, human resources and government policies must also be accountable to the employment aspirations of the state’s people.
“We are not prepared to compromise on the issue of employment opportunities for Kannadigas. This must be implemented in action; mere assurances are not enough,” the representation said.
KRV has maintained that the campaign is not aimed at targeting individual companies but is intended to verify complaints raised by local job seekers and employees and seek solutions.
The month-long campaign will involve visits to IT-BT companies across Karnataka, the collection of employment-related information and representations to managements seeking fair and transparent recruitment practices. The information and grievances gathered during the exercise will subsequently be brought to the attention of the government and concerned authorities.
The campaign comes amid a wider debate over employment opportunities for Kannadigas in Karnataka’s IT sector, with local groups demanding greater transparency and fair representation for qualified candidates from the state.
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-179377752753654918.webp)
