CM Siddaramaiah promised housing for people evicted from a Bengaluru waste site, calling it encroached land. Deputy CM DK Shivakumar defended the move against criticism from Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, stating it was to prevent land mafia.
CM Siddaramaiah Promises Housing for Evicted People
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that suitable housing arrangements would be provided to people who were evicted from makeshift shelters at a waste dumping site in the Kogilu Badavane area near Yelahanka in Bengaluru. In a post on X, the Chief Minister said that the land was unfit for human habitation and had been encroached upon.
Siddaramaiah said, "Many had encroached upon and built makeshift shelters at the waste dumping site in the Kogilu Badavane area near Yelahanka in Bengaluru, a location unfit for human habitation. Despite issuing notices multiple times to the families there to relocate elsewhere, they did not respond. In this context, they have inevitably been evicted from that site." "I have spoken with the Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and instructed them to make arrangements for temporary shelter, food, and other necessities for all of them. Most of those who were residing there encroaching upon the land are migrant workers, not local residents, yet even so, from a humanitarian perspective, we will ensure suitable housing arrangements for them," he further said.
DK Shivakumar Defends Action, Slams Kerala CM
Earlier, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took a sharp jibe at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over his criticism of the recent demolition drive in Bengaluru, asserting that "senior leaders should not interfere without knowing the facts on the ground."
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Shivakumar described Vijayan's remarks as "unfortunate" and said leaders from outside the state must first understand Bengaluru's realities before making political comments. The Deputy CM maintained that the action was aimed at protecting public land and not targeted at any community.
Shivakumar said the area in question was an encroached waste dumpsite and alleged that land mafia interests were behind attempts to turn it into a slum. "We have humanity. We gave people an opportunity to move to new places. Only a few of them are locals," he said, adding that the government was trying to protect public space.
"We are not into bulldozers. We are trying to safeguard our land and public property," he asserted. Shivakumar also appealed directly to the Kerala Chief Minister to refrain from commenting without full knowledge of the situation. "Senior leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan should know the issues in Bengaluru. We know our city well, and we don't want to entertain slums that promote land mafia activities," he said.
Pinarayi Vijayan Criticises 'Bulldozer Justice'
The Deputy CM's response came after Vijayan, in a post on Facebook, strongly criticised the demolition of Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout in Bengaluru. Vijayan termed the action "extremely shocking and painful", alleging that Muslims had been living in these areas for years and accusing the Karnataka government of following a "North Indian bulldozer justice model".
The Kerala CM further questioned the Congress-led Karnataka government, asking how it could justify forced evictions instead of ensuring shelter for the poor. He described the demolitions as reflective of "anti-minority aggressive politics" and said it was surprising to see such actions under a Congress government. (ANI)
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