Eviction row: Will rehabilitate genuine people, won't allow encroachment, says Shivakumar

Bengaluru, Dec 29 (PTI) Amid a raging political row over a demolition drive in the city, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday visited the site in question, asserted the government cannot allow land grab or encroachment but said that the administration will rehabilitate those evicted, who are genuine and without a house.

Shivakumar, who is also Minister in-charge of Bengaluru development, hit out at Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan accusing him of trying to do politics on the issue, by showing sympathy towards minorities whose houses have been demolished.

Vijayan did so as his party CPI(M) fears losing the 2026 election in the neighbouring state, the Karnataka Congress chief claimed.

The demolition of houses at Kogilu village's Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony on December 20 was carried out by the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited to clear encroachments for a proposed solid waste processing unit, officials have said claiming that the houses were constructed without any official permission, and that most of the occupants were migrants from other states.

"This place was given by the government for solid waste management about nine to ten years ago. These people have come here recently. I have Google images (satellite images); overnight people have come and encroached. Some people have claimed that their names are even in the voter list, but it is actually in the nearby locality address, not the address on this land. No one will add names in the voter list from government land," Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the spot, he said officials had informed people who had encroached that they would be evicted. The local MLA had also informed the people that they cannot be regularised and will be evicted keeping their health in mind, as they had constructed houses near leachate pit and garbage.

Alleging that some people are mixing politics in this issue, including the Kerala CM, Shivakumar said, "so they want to show sympathy to minorities here....Kerala CM is doing politics, I'm requesting him to stay away from this, this is a local issue. Let him do his job, we will do our job." Pointing out that minority people shouted slogans in his favour as he visited the spot, he further said, "If they felt that we (Karnataka government) were wrong and would not help them, they would have shouted slogans against me." The eviction turned into a political row with Vijayan criticising the demolition drive as the "brutal normalisation of the bulldozer raj".

Some political leaders and organisations from Kerala too have visited the demolition site, which is being dubbed by some as "minority vote bank politics" by politicians from the neighbouring state, as most of the affected are said to be Muslims.

Stating that the government is verifying those who are genuine or eligible and without houses to help them, the deputy CM said, there are allegations that some have taken money from people to allow them construct houses illegally.

"We cannot let people construct temporary houses illegally and create slums in Bengaluru...the government property should be protected. The compound wall around this area was constructed (partially), after a tender was called for it two years ago," he said.

Noting that if any injustice has happened to anyone and if any one doesn't have a house, for genuine cases, there is a government scheme to provide houses and sites, Shivakumar said. The CM has called for a meeting to discuss this.

"I wanted to personally see things before the meeting. Because seeing is believing. So I have come. We will sort out things," he added.

Asked as to who collected money from people and allowed them to construct houses on the land, the Deputy CM said, he cannot reveal it publicly now. There is an investigation team, and evidences like images, "I will release them at the appropriate time." "Action will certainly be taken against those involved, as the money was collected and agreements were made to allot sites on government land. It is called tenant rental agreement copy, sites have been allocated by those involved as though it is their own land by taking Rs 1 lakh to 2 lakh. We have gathered documents, we will not allow land grabbers in Bengaluru," he said.

Asserting that no embarrassment has been caused to the Congress government on the issue, following directions from AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on the eviction issue, Shivakumar said the cleanliness of Bengaluru and the law of the land has to be protected.

"Any one who comes to the city and encroaches illegally cannot be allowed. There should be valid documents for everything," he said.

After Vijayan's statement, Venugopal, who is also from Kerala, had recently said he has spoken to CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar and conveyed the AICC's serious concern that such actions (demolition) should have been undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre. PTI KSU SA