Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Jul 30: After protests to stop using signages in Hindi language in Namma Metro, the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) now wants non-Kannadigas who work in the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), to be relieved from their duty.

KDA chairman S G Siddaramaiah who inspected the metro facilities on Tuesday, highlighted in his letter to BMRCL, Chief Minister and Top State officials that a large number of staff employed for security and cleaning purposes are non Kannadigas.

Terming it as a violation of the Sarojini Mahishi report, he said that according to the 1986 report, Kannadigas should be granted 100 per cent reservation in state and public sector jobs. Not only that, the watchmen and cleaner jobs in private sector should also be reserved for Kannadigas. However, no government has so far implemented the recommendation in full.

S G Siddaramaiah also questioned the appointment of seven chief engineers from outside the state. Though Karnataka has many engineering colleges and churns out capable engineers, why should Non Kannadigas be in these coveted posts, he questioned asking BMRCL to relive these engineers.

However, BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola said that hiring had been done purely on the basis of technical capabilities of person.

The Engineers come under the group A job category, and require particular skill sets. Many of them are deputed from other government departments like the Railways.

However, Kharola said that the corporation would try to employ more local people in future.

KDA Secretary K Muralidhar explains that Kannadiga doesn't mean a person whose mother tongue is Kannada. Instead, the state government has defined Kannadiga as anyone who has lived in Karnataka for 15 years and speaks, reads and writes Kannada.

"When we say Kannadigas, anyone from Karnataka, irrespective of his or her mother tongue, falls in that bracket. Karnataka has been very liberal, welcoming people from every state. But let's not forget our own people who need jobs. We want that the natives of Karnataka to get first preference in these jobs," Muralidhar added.