What happens when reckless and selfish populism collides with a $245 billion tech industry?
Chaos, anxiety, and a severe dent in the reputation of one of the world's most sought-after talent hubs. Bengaluru, home to tech giants from Apple to Walmart, is shaping the world's future and is now also becoming infamous for some baffling policy flip-flops.
In Karnataka's approach, it feels like they're flipping between policies - 100% job reservations one day, none the next, something in between after - with no precise data or rationale, gambling with India's IT and startup hub.
Meanwhile, halfway across the world, the U.S. rolls the red carpet for entrepreneurs. Under the International Entrepreneur Rule, founders can secure a stay of up to five years if their startups show potential for rapid growth. This clear, supportive U.S. policy is attracting frustrated founders in Bengaluru, making relocation an attractive option. As the U.S. opens its doors, Karnataka is slamming theirs shut, pushing its innovators away.
As if navigating Bengaluru's potholed roads peppered with craters, dodging dangerously weaving water tankers at all hours, and mourning our dying lakes swallowed by real estate greed weren't enough, the city's political rulers have unearthed a fresh way to inflict pain.
The IT and startup hubs of Whitefield, Sarjapur, and Electronic City are already reeling under daily logistical torture. These areas are powerhouses, fueling millions of jobs and generating significant tax revenue. Yet, why are the city's true builders, the very architects of its economic dynamism, so often made to feel insignificant and powerless?
Startup founders and the broader IT industry in Karnataka, including heavyweights like Nasscom, are fed up with the state's erratic job reservation policies. Nasscom has been blunt, warning that these rules could drive companies out of the state and take jobs and investments with them.
That frustration reached a boiling point when PhonePe's CEO, Sameer Nigam, called the Karnataka job quota bill a "shame."
It was a raw, unfiltered moment that captured the broader sentiment in the tech community. Nigam's personal narrative of living across states due to his father's naval career adds another layer to the debate: Isn't it downright unfair to those who've thrown their lot in with Bengaluru, believing in its promise and contributing to its prosperity?
Why the back-and-forth? The government is testing out policies in real-time, trying to see what the electorate might tolerate. This is similar to A/B testing in tech development, where two versions are tested to see which one works better.
Except here, it's not a harmless trial. It's playing fast and loose with the backbone of a booming industry.
(Pankaj Mishra has been a journalist for over two decades and is the co-founder of FactorDaily.)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
Featured Video Of The Day
Year After NCP Split, Ajit Pawar Struggles To Stop Exodus To Uncle's Camp
Taylor Swift Releases Her Next Single I Can Do It With A Broken Heart "My Kids Don't Deserve Jobs?": PhonePe Founder On Karnataka Quota Bill "Don't Panic": Karnataka Minister To Industry Leaders On Job Quota Bill World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage 4 Passengers Die As 12 Coaches Of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express Derail In UP Why BJP Lost Lok Sabha Polls In Uttar Pradesh - 6 Reasons In Party Report No Coercive Action Against Delhi-NCR Home Buyers Over EMI: Supreme Court 60 Rare Siamese Crocodiles Hatch In Cambodia In A Conservation Win Publish NEET-UG Results City-Wise And Centre-Wise, Supreme Court Tells NTA Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.