BENGALURU: Days after several social media users in Karnataka began boycotting digital payment app PhonePe, following its co-founder and CEO Sameer Nigam’s criticism of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s proposed job reservation bill, Nigam issued a statement on Sunday, emphasising his respect for Karnataka and its people, tendering an unconditional apology if his comments have hurt anyone’s sentiments.
After the state government mooted the bill proposing job reservations for Kannadigas in the private sector, Nigam stated, “I am 46 years old. Never lived in a state for more than 15 years. My father worked in the Indian Navy and was posted all over the country. Do his kids not deserve jobs in Karnataka? I build companies and have created over 25,000 jobs across India! Do my kids not deserve jobs in their home city?”
Following his post, hashtags such as #UninstallPhonePe and #BoycottPhonePe started trending on social media, with numerous users sharing screen recordings of uninstalling the digital payment app.
After drawing flak, Nigam issued a statement, saying, “PhonePe was born in Bengaluru and we are incredibly proud of our roots in this city, known for its world-class technology talent and vibrant diversity.”
“As a company, we thrive on celebrating diversity, and we have always strived to deliver fair, unbiased, and meritocracy-based employment opportunities for all Indians, including local Kannadigas,” Nigam said. “We believe such an approach allows every Indian a chance to shine, creating more societal and economic value for Bengaluru, Karnataka, and India.”
Nigam reiterated his high regard for Kannada and all Indian languages, stressing the importance of respecting and celebrating linguistic diversity and cultural heritage.
“Bengaluru’s Indian startups are competing against trillion-dollar giants like Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft. To do so, these companies must be able to employ the very best talent available in India purely based on their technology skills and proficiency in fields such as coding, design, product management, data sciences, machine learning, AI, and beyond,” Nigam explained, adding, “As a nation, that is the only way we can build world-class companies that can compete globally.”
Nigam also expressed his commitment to creating lakhs of jobs for Bengaluru and Karnataka, advocating for dialogue and discussion to find sustainable employment solutions. “Let’s all work together to create long-term impact,” he concluded.