Bengaluru, July 17 (Reporter) In a scathing critique, former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai on Wednesday condemned Karnataka's new private jobs reservation bill as discriminatory and unconstitutional. The bill, which aims to reserve 50 percent of management positions and 75 percent of non-management roles for locals, has come under intense scrutiny for its potential to unfairly exclude minority communities. Pai highlighted a critical flaw in the bill’s criteria, noting, "Consider the implications of this bill: many individuals from minority communities who studied Urdu and lack Kannada in their school leaving certificates will face discrimination. Will they be unfairly labeled as 'non-local'? This policy risks alienating and disadvantaging their own constituents and supporters." Under the proposed legislation, a "local" is defined as someone born in Karnataka, who has lived in the state for 15 years and is proficient in Kannada. Job seekers must either have a secondary school certificate with Kannada as a language or pass a Kannada proficiency test. Establishments can apply for exemptions if qualified local candidates are unavailable, but non-compliance may result in penalties ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000, with additional daily fines for continued violations. He challenged the necessity and legality of the Kannada language test, declaring, "If I seek a job and don't have Kannada as my third language, I have to pass a test. Why should I? Who are they to decide if I am a local? This state and city belong to me. It is illegal, unconstitutional, against citizenship norms, and fascist." Pai also criticised the bill's provision that requires a government representative on the recruitment committee for enterprises with over 100 employees. "How can they impose a government representative? Is this a return to Licence Raj? Karnataka is plagued with corruption and violence. Inspectors take bribes, and violent elements roam freely. What have they achieved so far?" Pai questioned, pointing to increased bureaucratic control and corruption as major concerns. The former Infosys CFO urged the government to focus on improving education and skill development instead of implementing restrictive job reservation policies. "If you want to promote Kannadigas for jobs, invest in higher education, skill development, internships, and apprenticeships. This is the path to creating a skilled workforce, not through discriminatory policies," he argued. Pai also expressed frustration with the state’s leadership, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, suggesting they should be more attuned to the broader implications of such policies. He criticized IT Minister Priyank Kharge and Industries Minister MB Patil for their role in advancing the bill, warning that it could deter investors and tarnish Karnataka’s economic reputation. "In one stroke, they have damaged the brand equity of Karnataka and Bengaluru. What happens in Bengaluru is broadcast worldwide. Today, I received 50 to 60 calls from around the world asking about the situation in Karnataka," Pai concluded, highlighting the international concern over the controversial new legislation...////...