Biocon name boards blackened after Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw opposed Karnataka job quota. Video

A video doing round on social media shows a man dressed in black applying black spray paint on at least two Biocon name boards. The company is founded and run by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. (Image credit: @sgowda79, @kiranshaw/X)

Days after Bengaluru-based billionaire entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw called for an exemption of highly-skilled labour from the proposed job quota policy in Karnataka, name boards of her company was defaced by unidentified people. A video of the act is doing rounds on social media.

The clip shows a man dressed in black applying black spray paint on at least two Biocon name boards.

ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ಮೀಸಲಾತಿಗೆ ವಿರೋಧಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕಿರಣ್ ಮಜುಂದಾರ್ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ಹೆಸರಿಗೆ ಮಸಿ ಬಳಿದ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರು pic.twitter.com/fJSaQD6Pzl

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— ಕನ್ನಡಿಗ ದೇವರಾಜ್ (@sgowda79) July 20, 2024

Mazumdar-Shaw, the founder and chairperson of Biocon, had on July 17 said that the Karnataka cabinet approving a draft bill mandating 50 percent reservation for locals in management jobs, 70 percent in non-management categories would affect Bengaluru's position as the leading tech city in the country. She called for the exemption of highly-skilled labour from the policy.

"As a tech hub, we need skilled talent," she wrote on X. "And whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy."

Mazumdar-Shaw also tagged the accounts of chief minister Siddaramiah, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, and IT Minister Priyank Kharge.

As a tech hub we need skilled talent and whilst the aim is to provide jobs for locals we must not affect our leading position in technology by this move. There must be caveats that exempt highly skilled recruitment from this policy. @siddaramaiah @DKShivakumar @PriyankKharge https://t.co/itYWdHcMWw

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) July 17, 2024

She was joined by many other industry leaders who pointed out that the focus should be on skills, not reservations. The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) also demanded the bill be scrapped.

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories, and Other Establishments draft bill, 2024 states that any employer, occupier, or manager of an establishment violating provisions will face a penalty ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000.

On July 17, however, after facing massive backlash, the Karnataka government decided to delay implementing the bill.

"The bill intended to implement reservation for Kannadigas in private sector institutions, industries and enterprises is still in the preparation stage. A final decision will be taken after comprehensive discussion in the next cabinet meeting," said a statement from Chief Minister's office on July 17.
This comes against the backdrop of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) and industry leaders demanding the scrapping of the bill.