Freebies hurt Karnataka’s growth, says Mohandas Pai; Not backed by data, counters Atheeq

Venture capitalist Mohandas Pai has voiced concerns over Karnataka's economic slowdown, attributing it to government freebies and poor governance. However, former bureaucrat LK Atheeq countered these claims, presenting data that shows Karnataka's growth rate exceeding several major states. Atheeq highlighted Karnataka's strong GDP per capita and FDI inflows, while acknowledging the need for improvement in manufacturing and regional development.