He added, “If my comments hurt anyone’s sentiments in such a way, I am truly sorry.” The statement comes after he expressed his dissatisfaction with the Karnataka government’s proposed private jobs quota Bill as per which reservation for locals was mandated. The Bill required that 50% of all management positions and 70% of all non-management positions in private companies be reserved for local residents.

On the Bill, Sameer Nigam said, “I have the highest regard for Kannada, and all other Indian languages. In fact, I truly believe that linguistic diversity and rich cultural heritage is a national asset that all Indians should be proud of; and all Indians should be respectful of and celebrate local and cultural norm.”

He also that he intends to create lakhs of jobs for Bengaluru and Karnataka.

“I believe with more dialogue and discussion, we can find ways to create more sustainable employment avenues. Let’s all work together to do this meaningfully and while creating long-term impact,” Sameer Nigam said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the Bill would be temporarily put on hold after backlash. He said, “The draft bill intended to provide reservations for Kannadigas in private sector companies, industries, and enterprises is still in the preparation stage. A comprehensive discussion will be held in the next cabinet meeting to make a final decision.”