Digital payments operator PhonePe chief executive officer Samir Nigam on Sunday issued an “unreserved apology” after he was asked to uninstall PhonePe over his views on Karnataka’s new job quota bill.
“Firstly, I would like to make it clear that it was not my intention to insult the state of Karnataka or its people. If my remarks have hurt anyone’s sentiments in such a way, I am truly sorry and offer my unreserved apology,” Sameer Nigam said in a statement.
The move comes as PhonePe has attracted criticism and calls for a boycott on social media after Nigam slammed the Karnataka government’s now-suspended job quota bill, which had initially proposed reservation for locals in the private sector.
Nigam appeared to criticise and oppose the Karnataka Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024.
While criticising the bill, he questioned whether his own children would be entitled to work in their “home towns.”
“I am 46 years old. Never lived in any state for more than 15 years. My father served in the Indian Navy. He was posted all over the country. Do my children not deserve a job in Karnataka? I started a company. I have created 25000+ jobs across India! Do my children not deserve to work in their home city? Shame,” Nigam recently posted on X.
His post sparked massive trolling, with social media users in Karnataka slamming Nigam and calling for a boycott of PhonePe.
Nigam on Sunday said he has formed an opinion from the corporate perspective that he will focus on hiring the best talent available in India based on skills to compete on the global stage. He also thanked the people of Karnataka for contributing in building the startup ecosystem that Bengaluru has today.
“It is no wonder that Bengaluru has earned the reputation as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. The city thrives with a great culture of innovation and attracts the brightest young minds from Karnataka and other parts of India. As a company, we are extremely grateful to the Karnataka government and the local Kannada-speaking population for the supportive business environment they have provided. Without such an inclusive ecosystem and progressive policies, Bengaluru would not have become a global tech powerhouse,” he said.
He also said that he had no intention of insulting the people of Karnataka.
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“I have read recent media articles regarding some personal comments I made last week on the draft Employment Reservation Bill. First and foremost, I would like to make it clear that I had no intention of insulting the state of Karnataka or its people,” Nigam said.
“Companies must be able to hire the best talent available in India purely based on their technical capabilities and competency in their field of expertise,” he said. “As a nation, that is the only way we can build world-class companies that can compete in the global village in which we live today,” Nigam said.
The Karnataka Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024 emphasised that 50 per cent of the candidates for managerial posts and 70 per cent of the candidates for non-managerial posts working in any factory or industry must be from Karnataka.
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According to the bill, “Every industry, factory or other establishment shall appoint 50 per cent local candidates for managerial posts and 70 per cent local candidates for non-managerial posts.”
The bill also requires candidates who have not studied Kannada in secondary school to pass a Kannada proficiency test. The nodal agency empowered by the state of Karnataka can demand any records or documents relating to the candidates.
“I have read some recent media articles regarding the comments I made personally last week on the draft Employment Reservation Bill. First and foremost, I would like to make it clear that I had no intention of insulting the state of Karnataka or its people,” Nigam said.
“Companies must be able to hire the best talent available in India purely based on their technical capabilities and competency in their field of expertise,” he said. “As a nation, that is the only way we can build world-class companies that can compete in the global village in which we live today,” Nigam said.
The Karnataka Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024 emphasised that 50 per cent of the candidates for managerial posts and 70 per cent of the candidates for non-managerial posts working in any factory or industry must be from Karnataka.
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According to the bill, “Every industry, factory or other establishment shall appoint 50 per cent local candidates for managerial posts and 70 per cent local candidates for non-managerial posts.”
The bill also requires candidates who have not studied Kannada in secondary school to pass a Kannada proficiency test. The nodal agency empowered by the state of Karnataka can demand any records or documents relating to the candidates.
First revealed: 21 July 2024 22:23 IST
