'Don't spoil Karnataka's future': Ex-Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai says Siddaramaiah govt should introspect on its 'misplaced priorities'

Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mohandas Pai on Wednesday asked the Karnataka government of Siddaramaiah to not spoil the state's future by focusing on communal and caste-based issues. He said the Karnataka government should introspect on their "misplaced priorities". 

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"Pl do not spoil Karnataka’s future by misplaced communal/caste priorities," Pai said while reacting to a social media post by a former Air Force officer, who said issues like hijab in schools, free bus rides, and Kannada language signboards were the government's priorities in the southern state.

Earlier in the day, a retired flight lieutenant, Anoop Verma, listed some of the issues that he said were the topics in Gujarat and Karnataka. He said topics in Gujarat were, how to make it a one trillion economy state, a semiconductor manufacturing hub, and creating the country's 20 per cent of jobs from the state. But the issues in Karnataka, he said, were - "allow Hijab in schools, free bus rides, and write signboards in Kannada".

Months after coming to power, Siddaramaiah in December said his government was contemplating lifting the ban on hijab in schools. His administration has also asked the offices and business units to ensure that by February 28, 60 per cent of signboards and nameplates are in Kannada.

Just days after this, pro-Kannada activists resorted to violent protests in Bengaluru, the 'Silicon Valley of India'. They tore down English signboards, smashed glass windows of malls, shops, and showrooms, sprayed black ink on English letters, stormed into businesses, and pulled down English signage.

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Mohandas Pai criticised those involved in the act and said the Kannada language is important, but there should not be any violence over it. "We must respect Kannada but no violence."

Meanwhile, Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday kickstarted a two-day business summit - Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2024 - to attract more investment. On the first day of the summit, Reliance, Adani, and Tata announced massive investments of worth thousands of crores during the next few years in Gujarat.

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Adani Group's Gautam Adani said his conglomerate would invest Rs 2 lakh crore in the state over the next five years, while Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said it will invest Rs 35,000 crore to set up its second manufacturing facility, and Tata Group said it will build a semiconductor factory at Dholera in Gujarat.

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Speaking at the summit, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani said nothing can stop India from becoming a $35 trillion economy by 2047 and that he is confident that Gujarat alone will become a $3 trillion economy.

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