Priyank Kharge
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
The reactions and counter reactions between Priyank Kharge, Minister for IT/BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, and industry leaders over the former attaching ‘communal’ tag to coastal Karnataka continued for the second day on Tuesday.
In his fresh post on X on Tuesday Mr. Kharge wrote: “The joke is on the people who are turning a blind eye to the problem. Dakshina Kannada contributes the second-highest share at 5.4%, while Bengaluru is close to 40%, this gap speaks for itself.
That’s precisely why we need Local Economic Accelerator Programme. Every district can add far more to the State’s GDP if we ensure a truly conducive environment for investments.
Is it too much to expect political and religious leaders of the region to act responsibly, so we can attract more investment and create more jobs?”
The Minister posted: “If this is a fake narrative why are the local industry captains of Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry discussing this issue in their meetings? What has been the contribution of the former Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship from the region? He spewed only hate and did nothing for the region.”
Reacting sharply to Mr. Kharge’s post, T.V. Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Aarin Capital Partners and co-founder, 3one4 Capital wrote on X: “This is a big big bad joke and fake narrative. South Canara has the second highest GSDP after Bengaluru as also per capita income. More than 30,000 students from other cities/States study there across medicine, engineering and others. Will so many parents send their children there if what you say is correct? It had 30,000 people in the IT with over 250 companies, many there for over 15 yeas. As our Minister we expect better than this. You are letting us down terribly.”
Rohit Bhat, lead anchor, Mangaluru cluster of the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, posted on X: “The gap between No.1 (Bengaluru) and No. 2 (DK) region is what exactly we have been crying hoarse about. If you look at the major project announcements in last 2.5 years, most have gone to Bengaluru. It’s like the rest of the regions don’t even exist. We are asking for investments in our region, not continued insinuations based on things that have happened in 2017 and 2019. Bad things have happened in Bengaluru too and continue to happen. There are agencies to deal with such matters and let us use the same yard stick for Mangaluru too.”
Mr. Bhat, founder of Robosoft and 99Games, further wrote: “LEAP is an excellent initiative and was applauded by everyone. You spoke on it in detail while visiting Mangaluru for Technovanza in September 2025. But it has been over five months since its announcement and there has been no progress on the ground. We need to put it to action without further delay. We have made representations on this matters via KDEM and hoping for something to happen soon.”
“During the last few years, everyone from the region has come together to build a positive narrative for the region. And it is beginning to show a positive impact. The recently TiECon Mangaluru event with 700 plus delegates was a resounding success and we had visitors from different parts of the country and the world. The number of enquiries we are receiving from companies wanting to shift to the region is accelerating quarter-on-quarter. Lateral professionals (mostly our diaspora) have started moving from Bangalore and finding well-paying jobs locally, local entrepreneurs are building IT buildings to cater to the fledgling demand.”
Aroor Prashanth Rao, a hospitality industry leader wrote on X: “You continue to pull out old material to make a case for a non-issue today. You yourself have been here multiple times encouraging and assisting us to build on our new narrative of Silicon Beach and beyond Bengaluru. Why then would you choose now to go off track and change our narrative that we all agreed on and worked towards?”
Mr. Rao further wrote: “The city (Mangaluru) and region expects you to promote us on the basis of our recent efforts on GCCs, Start-up ecosystem and our ranking as the only city In India listed in 50 safest in the world. That should have been your narrative. That you brought law and order, and that Mangaluru is safe and complete investment destination. All the associations and entrepreneurs here are expecting you to make amends.”
“Please abandon this effort of using the good people of Mangaluru as bait in your political agenda that has nothing to do with today’s situation on the coast.”
Published – February 17, 2026 07:44 pm IST
