Pro-Kannada activists took to Twitter on Wednesday, demanding reservation in government and private sector jobs for those who are from Karnataka. The Twitter storm comes in the wake of the Madhya Pradesh government announcing 70% reservation of jobs in the private sector for those who are from the state.
This means that preference would be given for locals in Madhya Pradesh. However, the MP state government said that necessary legal provisions required to implement the order are yet to be made.
Breaking - @ChouhanShivraj announces that jobs in MP Govt to be exclusively for people from MP only. pic.twitter.com/wToUWJe6c9
— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) August 18, 2020
The pro-Kannada activists demanded that the Karnataka government implement recommendations of the Sarojini Mahishi report of 1986.
The Sarojini Mahishi report recommended job reservations for Kannadigas in government and the private sector. Many of the 58 recommendations made in the report have been implemented by successive state governments in power in the state. Many pro-Kannada organisations have pointed to the recommendations made in the report asking for a greater share of jobs in Karnataka for Kannadigas.
Chetan Ahima, a noted Kannada actor and social activist said in a tweet, “#KarnatakaJobsForKannadigas. Madhya Pradesh just announced all government jobs for state citizens (local residents). MP had reserved 70% jobs in the private sector for locals. KA (Karnataka) must also give public and private jobs to state residents according to the Sarojini Mahishi Report with emphasis on caste, class and gender.”
#KarnatakaJobsForKannadigas
— Chetan Kumar (@ChetanAhimsa) August 19, 2020
Madhya Pradesh just announced all govt jobs for state citizens. In '19, MP had reserved 70% jobs in private sector for locals
KA must also give public & private #jobs to state residents acc to Sarojini Mahishi Report w/ emphasis on caste/class/gender
How would Delhi media reacted if any of the Southern leader made similar comment/law??
— ನವನೀತ್ ಗೌಡ | Navaneeth Gowda (@NavaneethGowda1) August 18, 2020
Even during British Raj British people were allowed to have reservations but not the other way round.#KarnatakaJobsForKannadigas https://t.co/ATgDglcFvq
“Anyone upset about regionalism? When Kannadigas demand the option to answer IBPS (Institute of Banking and Personal Selection) in Kannada, it upsets some people to no end,” Lavanya Ballal, spokesperson of the Karnataka Congress said in a tweet.
In 2019, the Karnataka government had announced reservation in jobs in the private sector for those residing in Karnataka for not less than 15 years in the group D sector. This includes clerical and blue collar jobs. The government order also included reservation for those who can write, read, speak and understand Kannada. are eligible to be recruited by private industries and factories for their clerical and shop floor jobs.
At the time, the Karnataka government had announced that necessary legislation would be brought to determine the percentage of reservation among other issues, including the ability to write competitive exams in Kannada. However, the state government has not yet passed any such legislation, and the 2019 order cannot be implemented yet.
Pro-Kannada rights activists have been demanding that the government give reservations to Kannadigas in government and private sector jobs for years now. They have held state-wide bandhs to get the government’s attention.
The most recent protest that was held was in February this year. Various associations and trade unions came together in a state-wide bandh to put pressure on the government including the Auto drivers, Taxi drivers’ union and the truckers union.