Karnataka Rakshana Vedike launches campaign to monitor Kannadiga employment

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) has launched the ‘Agraha Abhiyan’ campaign to assess the number of Kannadiga employees working in private IT and BT firms across Bengaluru. The organization has deployed ten teams to visit various companies to collect data on the ratio of local Kannadiga employees to out-of-state workers.

The campaign follows public allegations that Kannadigas are being neglected during recruitment processes in the technology sector. KRV leaders stated that the initiative aims to determine if discrimination is occurring and intends to submit a formal report to the government. Based on these findings, the group plans to advocate for job reservations for Kannadigas.

Despite an appeal from Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to refrain from the campaign, the KRV has proceeded. Organization leaders, including state president T A Narayana Gowda and convener Mohan Gowda, emphasized that the movement is a respectful information-gathering mission rather than a protest or an act of moral policing. A delegation recently visited Bagmane Tech Park to submit a memorandum requesting that companies prioritize local employment.