New Delhi (Agency): The Bengaluru Tech Summit became the backdrop for a heated debate between Information Technology industry veteran T V Mohandas Pai and Karnataka’s Minister for IT & BT, Priyank Kharge. Pai’s social media post, questioning Bengaluru’s continuing status as India’s premier IT city and suggesting Hyderabad’s rising potential, drew sharp criticism from the state government.
In his post, Pai remarked, “Will Hyderabad Dethrone Bangalore’s IT Status? Continued neglect of Bengaluru by successive govts over last 10 years has led to this. Hope govt shows more energy to improve city.” This comment, coinciding with the Bengaluru Tech Summit, a global tech event hosted by the state government, triggered a robust response from Kharge.
Addressing the media, Kharge strongly refuted Pai’s claims, asserting, “Not a single company who has come to the negotiation table of the Government of Karnataka, has left Karnataka.” He challenged Pai to name any company that had left Bengaluru after engaging with the government. Kharge suggested that Pai’s comments might stem from a lack of information or be politically motivated.
Kharge’s rebuttal emphasized the state’s success in retaining and attracting investments, citing examples like Amazon’s presence in Bengaluru. He questioned Pai’s criticism, noting the normalcy of companies investing in multiple cities for diversification, and wondered why Pai would criticize others for a strategy he himself employs as a venture capitalist.
The minister also highlighted the state government’s practice of consulting industry experts in policy formulation and expressed disappointment over Pai’s approach of criticism rather than constructive feedback. He recalled Pai’s involvement in vision groups and questioned the effectiveness of his contributions during that time.
Pai’s recent comments about Kaynes Technology’s decision to start construction of its Rs 2,800 crore OSAT plant in Telangana instead of Mysuru due to alleged government inaction had already stirred controversy. Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil had responded to this claim, denying any lapses in the government’s response to the company’s proposal.
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