Pro-Kannada activists in Bengaluru warn iPhone manufacturer Foxconn

Bengaluru 

Several pro-Kannada activists on Wednesday evening (October 15, 2025) issued a stern warning to the Human Resources (HR) wing of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Foxconn) over alleged discrimination in hiring. The Taiwan-based company is the world’s largest contract manufacturer for iPhones.

Activists affiliated with the Praveen Shetty-led Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) thronged the Foxconn unit in Doddaballapur, alleging that apart from D-category jobs, the company’s HR department has not hired Kannada-speaking individuals for white-collar positions. They further claimed that people from Tamil Nadu were being appointed to HR posts.

While activists spoke to a representative from the company’s HR office, Praveen Shetty joined the discussion over the phone. The HR representative claimed that Kannadigas constituted 80% of the workforce — a claim Shetty disputed, arguing that Kannada-speaking employees were largely restricted to D-category jobs, particularly sanitation work. He alleged that Tamil-speaking individuals dominate top positions in the company.

According to a list prepared by KRV, Naramada Kameshwar (HR Manager), Subramani (ER-HR), Prem Prasad (Facility), Saamiyappan (MFG-FAC), Neetirajan (IT Manager), Azeem and Raja Pabhu (Purchase), Vijayan and Karthik (MLB), Dhamodharan (EE-HR), Balaganapathi (SCM), and Marali and Naresh (Canteen) are from Tamil Nadu. Activists also alleged that people from other states dominate the IT, facility, and purchase departments.

KRV has now asked the company to address the issue by providing more employment opportunities to Kannadigas. It remains to be seen how the company will respond to this warning.