The Karnataka government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, has issued a sharp rebuttal to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's allegations of "bulldozer raj" following the eviction of around 300 families from Bengaluru's Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout. The state leadership defended the action as a necessary measure against illegal occupation of government land and advised the Kerala CM against making statements without verifying facts.
The Eviction Drive and Karnataka's Justification
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, speaking in Delhi, clarified that the eviction was carried out on a five-acre plot designated for solid waste management where people had been living unauthorisedly since 2019. He emphasised that the location was unsafe, prompting officials to serve notices to the illegal occupants. "As they failed to vacate, they were evicted," Siddaramaiah stated. He highlighted the human aspect of the issue, revealing that he has directed the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Urban Development Department to make alternative arrangements for the displaced families, acknowledging that most are migrants.
Echoing this stance, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar explained on Saturday that the drive aimed to remove encroachers from government land notified for solid waste management. He described the site as a dangerous quarry pit posing significant health hazards. "They tried to occupy it illegally," Shivakumar asserted, distancing the government's actions from the term "bulldozer justice."
Kerala CM's Allegations and the Political Clash
The controversy erupted after Pinarayi Vijayan took to social media platform X on Friday to condemn last week's eviction. In his post, he accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of executing the Sangh Parivar's "anti-minority politics" by uprooting Muslim families who had lived in the colonies for years, thus normalising a "bulldozer raj."
Shivakumar hit back strongly, dismissing the allegations as "political gimmicks ahead of state elections in Kerala." He insisted that the government did not use bulldozers and that the action was solely to protect public land. "We are not into bulldozer (justice). We have not done anything using bulldozers," he clarified. He further challenged the narrative by stating that the government is willing to provide houses to the displaced if they possess valid documents, pointing to existing plans for lakhs of houses and ongoing discussions for rehabilitating the genuinely affected.
Rehabilitation Promises and Counter Claims
Amid the political crossfire, the Karnataka government has outlined its stance on rehabilitation. Shivakumar stated that the administration's focus is on helping those with legitimate needs, not those seeking to illegally occupy government land. "If anyone wants houses, definitely we will give them... Discussions are on to rehabilitate those genuinely affected," he said.
However, the eviction has also drawn criticism from the opposition BJP in Karnataka. On Tuesday, BJP leader Bhaskar Rao alleged on social media that the houses were flattened by bulldozers and police without any prior notice, adding another layer to the contentious issue.
The exchange highlights the intersection of urban land rights, migrant welfare, and political rhetoric in Indian states. While the Karnataka government frames the event as a routine administrative action against encroachment, its political opponents frame it as part of a larger, troubling pattern of majoritarian politics.
