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Bengaluru demolition brings K'taka CM Siddaramaiah, deputy DK Shivakumar on same page amid Congress unease
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar unitedly pushed back the criticism from Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The Congress found itself handling dissent from within and criticism from outside after a demolition drive at Kogila Layout in Karnataka's Bengaluru triggered a political row, while prompting a rare show of unity between state chief minister and his deputy who otherwise are seen to be in a power tussle.
As senior party leader KC Venugopal urged the Karnataka government to act with greater compassion, chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar mounted a united defence of the action, pushing back strongly against criticism from Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The controversy centres on the eviction of several families from Kogila Layout near Yelahanka on December 20. Vijayan criticised the drive, calling it an example of “bulldozer raj”, a charge that quickly drew responses from the Karnataka leadership.
Siddaramaiah, taking to X, said the action was unavoidable and based on safety concerns. “Several people had illegally erected makeshift shelters at the waste-disposal site in the Kogila Layout near Yelahanka. It is not a place suitable for human habitation,” he said.
Justifying the action, he wrote, “Despite issuing notices on multiple occasions directing the families to relocate, the residents failed to comply. Under these circumstances, it became unavoidable to clear the encroachment and vacate the site.”
Vijayan’s sharp criticism from Kerala
Earlier, Pinarayi Vijayan had criticised the demolition of Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout. “The bulldozing of Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout in Bengaluru, uprooting Muslim families who have lived there for years, exposes the brutal normalisation of ‘bulldozer raj’"
“Sadly, the Sangh Parivar’s anti-minority politics is now being executed under a Congress Government in Karnataka,” he wrote, urging secular forces to resist what he called a dangerous trend.
He later reiterated the criticism on Facebook, describing the demolitions as “extremely shocking and painful” and accusing the Karnataka government of following a “North Indian bulldozer justice model”.
Sidda rejects ‘bulldozer justice’ tag
The chief minister said he had instructed officials to ensure immediate relief for those displaced. He added that he had spoken to the commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority to arrange temporary shelter, food and other essentials.
Noting that most of those affected were migrant workers, Siddaramaiah said the “government will nevertheless ensure appropriate accommodation on humanitarian grounds.”
He also sought to draw a clear distinction between the action taken and what critics were alleging. “There is a fundamental difference between ‘bulldozer justice’ and the lawful removal of illegal encroachments. The criticism being made by Pinarayi Vijayan is politically motivated and reflects a lack of understanding of the factual situation.”
Dy CM Shivakumar hits back
Shivakumar also responded sharply, saying Vijayan had spoken without understanding the situation on the ground. “It is unfortunate that senior leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan have spoken without knowing the truth. He should know what is the issue at hand.”
“The place (Kogila Layout) is a quarry pit for solid waste disposal. A notification was issued for the solid waste disposal unit 9 years ago. I know Bengaluru well. We will not let the land mafia build slums. We had said that we will protect our land,” he said.
Rejecting the comparison with “bulldozer culture”, Shivakumar added, “Bulldozer culture is not ours. Pinarayi Vijayan should not interfere in the state’s affairs without knowing the truth.”
He later reiterated that “senior leaders should not interfere without knowing the facts on the ground”, appealing to Vijayan to refrain from commenting without full knowledge of Bengaluru’s issues.
Congress flags humanitarian concern
Hours later, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said he had spoken to Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar about the demolitions.
“Conveyed the AICC’s serious concern that such actions should have been undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre,” Venugopal said.
Left leaders visit site, protests continue
Meanwhile, a delegation led by CPI(M) leader and Kerala MP AA Rahim visited Kogilu Layout on Saturday to meet displaced families and assess the situation. Speaking to reporters, Rahim termed the Karnataka government’s actions “anti-minority”.
Protests were also held by the Social Democratic Party of India and local residents in Yelahanka, demanding immediate rehabilitation. SDPI Karnataka general secretary Mujahid Pasha accused the government of ignoring humanitarian concerns. “The government of Karnataka has failed in considering humanity… This has become a national issue,” he said, demanding shelter and fulfilment of basic needs for those displaced, reported news agency ANI.
As political reactions continue to pour in, the episode has exposed tensions within the Congress while also sharpening its confrontation with leaders outside the state over how the Bengaluru demolitions were carried out.
