Karnataka locals pitch for job reservation in state, urge chief minister to look into issue

Bengaluru: The Constitution of India has given every citizen the right to move around in the country and be employed anywhere in any part of the nation. It is indeed a privilege that has been extended to citizens.

However, in no contempt of the holy document, there are many who feel that jobs are being plundered by citizens in states to which they don’t “belong,” in acceptance of the fact that the Constitution doesn’t accept dual citizenship.

They feel that locals residing in a particular place are the kings of the place and point at the fact that job market continues to be exploited by others and refer to four states that have already either implemented/proposed the reservation for locals.

Here are the four states:

Now, while the four states deem it fit to have massive local representation in their states, there is a growing chorus that Karnataka too should mull on these lines.

Karnataka was in the vanguard of such a proposal as early as the 1980s.

In fact, the Gokak agitation led by the matinee idol Rajkumar recommended the primacy of Kannada as a language in Karnataka. It also shed light on the need to reserve jobs for locals.

A senior journalist, on conditions of anonymity said, “In certain areas, you have to be conscious that, if locals are not preferred, their lives can be destroyed leading to inequality. For example, if you take the instance of backward states like Odisha, if migrants come and take away local jobs, their livelihoods can be destroyed. The government has to ensure the local representation is not compromised with.”

Another report that comes to mind is the Sarojini Mahishi report in which the former MP had suggested that a major chunk of employment should be reserved for Kannadigas.

The fervent plea of the locals here is now to the new CM BS Yediyurappa to look into the issue.