Kannada activists visit tech companies seeking recruitment data

KRV Bengaluru: Discussions over employing Kannadigas in Bengaluru’s IT sector following allegations of hiring bias against local talent took a dramatic turn Monday when Kannada activists visited more than 100 tech companies across the city and submitted representations seeking recruitment data.

The move comes despite chief minister DK Shivakumar urging Kannada activists and organisations to avoid moral policing. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) president TA Narayana Gowda told TOI: “We started with a survey of tech companies as there were complaints about discrimination in hiring, Kannadigas being sidelined during recruitment to favour outside candidates.

We created teams, each comprising 10 KRV members, to carry forward the audit campaign and these teams will be visiting private companies and submitting representations to the management seeking details of the total number of people employed and the percentage of Kannadigas. ” Allaying fears of untoward incidents during the audit, Gowda said: “We have instructed the teams that there should be no shouting of slogans or bitter confrontations with the management or security personnel of IT companies.

Our workers will approach the companies politely and explain their intention by displaying identity cards. The companies need not furnish details of their Kannadiga workforce immediately. Our representation will include address and email IDs of KRV central committee, and companies can email the details over the next four to five days.” The representations submitted by the visiting teams will also seek details of the nature and category of jobs (including Group A, B, C and D Groups) in which Kannadigas are employed and the facilities extended to Kannadiga employees at the workplace.

Responding to concerns that several IT companies were unaware of the visits, Gowda said the issue had been under discussion for nearly a month. Gowda said he submitted a memorandum to the police commissioner Monday, seeking cooperation. The campaign, he said, will not be confined to Bengaluru or only to the tech sector.

After collecting the information, KRV plans to submit a report to the state govt and will await its response before deciding on its next course of action.