PhonePe CEO Apologises Amid Boycott Campaign Over Remark On Karnataka Job Quota Bill

PhonePe CEO Sameer Nigam on Sunday issued an "unconditional apology" for his recent comments opposing the Karnataka job reservation bill.

The bill, now on hold, mandated reserving 50 per cent of management-level jobs and 70 per cent of non-management-level jobs for locals.

In a statement on social media platform X, Mr Nigam clarified his comments, which triggered a 'Boycott Phone Pe' campaign,  were not intended to hurt any sentiments and apologised for any offence caused.

"I would first and foremost like to clarify that it was NEVER my intention to insult Karnataka and its people. If my comments hurt anyone's sentiments in such a way, I am truly sorry and would like to offer you an unconditional apology," he said.

The PhonePe co-founder revealed the company was "born in Bengaluru" and he was "incredibly proud of our roots in this city" renowned for its technology talent and cultural diversity.

Earlier, he argued that the bill was unfair to people, including himself, who have lived in multiple states due to his father's career in the Indian Navy. He questioned whether his children, who have grown up in Karnataka, would be denied jobs in their home city despite him creating more than 25,000 job opportunities across the country.

In his apology, Mr Nigam acknowledged Bengaluru's reputation as the "Silicon Valley of India" was well-deserved and credited the city's inclusive business environment for PhonePe's success. He expressed his pride for PhonePe's roots in Bengaluru and the company's commitment to "celebrating diversity" and "meritocracy-based employment opportunities for all Indians including to all local Kannadigas."

He also talked about the importance of linguistic diversity and cultural heritage and expressed his commitment to creating sustainable employment avenues in Bengaluru and Karnataka.

He also noted the competitive landscape faced by Indian startups against global giants like Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple. To compete on a global scale, "these companies must be able to employ the very best talent available in India," Mr Nigam said in his statement. "As a nation, that is the only way we can build world-class companies that can compete in the global village that we live in today."

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, was proposed on July 16 and then put on hold after backlash from industry leaders and stakeholders.