Bengaluru | Business Desk:
Kaushik Mukherjee, founder of a Bengaluru-based IT company, has announced his intention to relocate his company’s operations to Pune within the next six months, citing ongoing concerns over rising linguistic tensions in the city.
Mukherjee expressed strong dissatisfaction with the recent incidents involving non-Kannada-speaking employees being allegedly targeted over language issues. In a public statement, he said, “If this language nonsense continues, I don’t want my non-Kannada staff to be the next victim.”
The comments come in light of a growing sentiment among some professionals in the IT sector regarding discomfort faced by employees who are not fluent in Kannada. Images circulated on social media appear to show confrontations within office premises involving staff members, further fueling the controversy.
Mukherjee emphasized that his decision is not against any particular community, but rather in the interest of ensuring a safe, inclusive, and professional working environment for all employees, irrespective of linguistic background. Pune, known for its cosmopolitan corporate culture, is being considered as a more neutral location conducive to such diversity.
The issue has sparked debate across professional and political circles, with some criticizing the move as extreme, while others have supported Mukherjee’s stance, citing the need for inclusivity in workplaces in metropolitan cities.
The Bengaluru tech industry, a key pillar of India’s IT ecosystem, has long thrived on diversity and talent from across the country. Developments like these have raised questions about how linguistic and cultural differences are managed within corporate environments.
As of now, there has been no official statement from local authorities or industry bodies regarding the matter. Mukherjee is expected to formally initiate the relocation process by the end of the current quarter.
