After backlash, PhonePe CEO apologises for comments on K'taka job quota bill

Amid a furore over his comments on the now-stalled Karnataka job quota bill, PhonePe CEO and Founder Sameer Nigam on Sunday offered an "unconditional apology" and said he never intended to insult the state and its people.

The move assumes significance as PhonePe drew criticism and boycott calls on social media after Nigam had slammed the now-suspended Karnataka government's quota-for-jobs bill, that had originally proposed reservation for locals in private sector.

Issuing a personal statement on Sunday, Nigam said PhonePe was born in Bengaluru and the team is incredibly proud of its roots in this city, which is well known for its world-class technology talent and vibrant diversity.

"I read some recent media articles, relating to a few personal comments that I made last week regarding the draft job reservation bill. I would first and foremost like to clarify that it was NEVER my intention to insult Karnataka and its people," Nigam said.

He added, "If my comments hurt anyone's sentiments in such a way, I am truly sorry and would like to offer you an unconditional apology."

Nigam said he has highest regards for Kannada, and all other Indian languages, and truly believes that linguistic diversity and rich cultural heritage is a national asset that all Indians should be proud of.

Emphasising on PhonePe's roots in the city, Nigam said from Bengaluru, over the past decade, the company expanded across the length and breadth of India and been able to deliver secure and efficient digital payments for over 55 crore Indians.

Bengaluru's reputation as the 'Silicon valley of India' is truly well-deserved, he said.

"The city thrives on an incredible culture of innovation, and attracts the most brilliant young minds from Karnataka and the rest of India. As a company, we are deeply grateful for the supportive business environment that Karnataka's governments and its local Kannadiga populace have offered us," he said, adding that without an inclusive ecosystem and progressive policies, Bengaluru would not have become a global technology superpower.

"As a company we also thrive on celebrating diversity, we have always tried hard to deliver fair, unbiased and meritocracy-based employment opportunities for all Indians -- including all local Kannadigas.

"We believe such an approach gives every Indian a good job a chance to shine, and ultimately helps create more societal and economic value for Bengaluru, Karnataka and India," Nigam said.

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, he pointed out.

As a nation, that is the only way to build world-class companies that can compete globally, Nigam noted.

"I also want to help create lakhs of jobs for Bengaluru and Karnataka. And, I believe with more dialogue and discussion, we can find ways to create more sustainable employment avenues," he said, adding, "Let's all work together to do this meaningfully and while creating long-term impact".

Last week, Nigam post on the controversial, and now-stalled bill had sparked off a backlash on social media.

"I am 46 years old. Never lived in a state for 15+ yrs. My father worked in the Indian Navy. Got posted all over the country. His kids don't deserve jobs in Karnataka? I build companies. Have created 25000+ jobs across India! My kids dont deserve jobs in their home city? Shame," Nigam had posted on X recently.

His post had unleashed massive trolling, as social media users in Karnataka lashed out at Nigam and called for a boycott of PhonePe.