Responding to criticism from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the demolition of homes in Bengaluru’s Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Saturday, December 27, that the former should refrain from commenting on Karnataka’s internal affairs.
Speaking to news agency ANI, the Karnataka Deputy CM dubbed CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s remarks “unfortunate”. He said that senior leaders should first understand the situation on the ground in Bengaluru. “Some people have encroached there. It is a waste landfill,” he said, defending the eviction drive.
DK Shivakumar maintained that the affected residents had been offered alternative accommodation but they failed to vacate the site.
“We have humanity. We gave them opportunities to move to new places. Only a few of them are locals,” he said, adding that the government would not allow slums to develop into “land mafia”.
“We are trying to protect public land and public space. I request Pinarayi not to interfere without knowing the facts. We are not into bulldozers,” he said.
Issuing a detailed statement on social media, DK Shivakumar said that the clearance of settlements in Kogilu village was carried out strictly in accordance with the law, to protect public land and ensure public safety.
He said the drive involved about 15 acres of government Gomala land in survey number 99, which had been allotted to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and was being used as a quarry site for solid waste disposal. “This land is extremely unsafe for human habitation. Unauthorised AC-sheet houses that had come up on the dumpsite were removed on December 20,” he said.
Shivakumar added that rehabilitation measures had been put in place and that eligible displaced families would be considered for housing under various government schemes.
“Our sole objective is to safeguard lives and prevent illegal encroachment,” he said, rejecting allegations that the action was arbitrary or targeted.
The Deputy CM said that the Congress-led government was committed to constitutional governance and works within the framework of equality, fairness, and humanity. He urged CM Pinarayi to consider these facts before criticising the Karnataka government.
A day earlier, Pinarayi Vijayan had strongly criticised the Congress government in Karnataka over the eviction drive in Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout, which are predominantly Muslim neighbourhoods. Accusing the government of emulating the BJP’s “bulldozer raj,” Pinarayi Vijayan said the demolitions violated constitutional values and human dignity. He also called on secular and democratic forces to campaign against the government’s actions.
The political exchange follows a demolition drive carried out by the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) in Yelahanka on December 20. The operation in Waseem Layout and Faqir Colony reportedly rendered nearly 400 families homeless during one of the coldest weeks the city has witnessed in recent years.
BSWML officials have said the houses were built on about five acres of government land and were demolished as part of an encroachment removal drive. Residents, however, alleged that they were evicted without prior notice and under heavy police presence, forcing many families to spend several nights on the streets under makeshift shelters. Many residents said they had lived in the area for decades and cited Aadhaar cards and electricity bills as proof of long-term residence.