Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw cautions that ‘communal exclusion’ can harm Karnataka

She cites media report about Muslims shopkeepers being barred from temple fairs

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, executive chairperson of Biocon, has urged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to resolve the ‘growing religious divide’ in the State. She warned that allowing any ‘communal exclusion’‘ would destroy the State’s position in the global leadership in the technology and biotech sectors.

Posting a media report over Muslims shopkeepers being barred from temple fairs, Mazumdar-Shaw tweeted: “Karnataka has always forged inclusive economic development and we must not allow such communal exclusion. If IT/BT became communal it would destroy our global leadership. Please resolve this growing religious divide.”

She tagged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in the tweet.

According to an industry observer, the growing religious divide could slow down the pace of economic growth in Karnataka, especially at a time when the State has set an ambitious target to take its key businesses, including the digital economy and bio-economy, to the next level of growth and is expecting tangible returns by 2025.

Responding to the tweet, Mr. Bommai said that Karnataka is known for peace and progress, and everyone should work towards maintaining it. “It is possible to sit together and resolve differences,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a counter tweet, BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malavia said: “It is unfortunate to see people like Kiran Shaw impose their personal, politically coloured opinion, and conflate it with India’s leadership in the ITBT sector. Rahul Bajaj once said something similar for Gujarat, it is today a leading automobile manufacturing hub. Go figure…”