Bengaluru: The Congress government in Karnataka found itself grappling with internal dissent and sharp criticism from outside the state after a demolition drive at Kogila Layout near Yelahanka triggered a political storm. The evictions, carried out on December 20, not only drew allegations of “bulldozer raj” from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan but also prompted a rare public show of unity between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, who are otherwise perceived to be locked in a power tussle.
The controversy revolves around the removal of several families who had erected makeshift shelters at Kogila Layout, a site notified years ago for solid waste disposal. While the Karnataka government has maintained that the action was lawful and unavoidable due to safety concerns, critics — including leaders within the Congress — have raised questions over the humanitarian impact of the drive.
Congress leadership flags concern
As criticism mounted, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal stepped in, expressing serious concern over the manner in which the evictions were carried out. Venugopal said he had spoken to both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, urging the state government to act with greater sensitivity.
“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 in a statement, signalling unease within the party over the fallout of the demolitions.
Siddaramaiah defends action, cites safety issues
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah strongly defended the government’s decision, rejecting allegations that the drive amounted to “bulldozer justice”. Taking to X, he said the evictions were based purely on safety considerations.
“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,” Siddaramaiah said. He added that notices had been issued multiple times asking residents to relocate, but they failed to comply.
“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,” the Chief Minister said.
He also said he had instructed officials to ensure immediate relief for those displaced and 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 assured that the government would ensure appropriate accommodation on humanitarian grounds.
Vijayan’s ‘bulldozer raj’ charge
The issue escalated after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the demolition of settlements such as Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout, terming the action an example of “bulldozer raj”.
“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’,” Vijayan wrote, alleging that the Sangh Parivar’s anti-minority politics was now being executed under a Congress government in Karnataka.
He later reiterated his criticism on Facebook, describing the demolitions as “extremely shocking and painful” and accusing the Karnataka government of following a “North Indian bulldozer justice model”. Vijayan urged secular forces to resist what he called a dangerous trend.
Sidda rejects ‘bulldozer justice’ tag
Responding to Vijayan’s remarks, Siddaramaiah said there was a clear difference between unlawful encroachments being removed through due process and what critics were branding as bulldozer justice.
“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,” he said.
Shivakumar hits back sharply
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also mounted a strong defence of the government’s actions, accusing Vijayan of commenting without understanding ground realities in Bengaluru.
“It is unfortunate that senior leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan have spoken without knowing the truth. He should know what is the issue at hand,” Shivakumar said. He explained that Kogila Layout is a quarry pit notified as a solid waste disposal unit nearly nine years ago.
“We will not let the land mafia build slums. We had said that we will protect our land,” he said, rejecting any comparison with bulldozer culture. “Bulldozer culture is not ours. Pinarayi Vijayan should not interfere in the state’s affairs without knowing the truth,” Shivakumar added.
Left leaders visit site, protests continue
Meanwhile, political reactions on the ground continued to intensify. A delegation led by CPI(M) leader and Kerala MP A.A. Rahim visited Kogilu Layout to meet displaced families and assess the situation. Rahim described the Karnataka government’s actions as “anti-minority”.
Protests were also held by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and local residents in Yelahanka, demanding immediate rehabilitation of the evicted families. SDPI Karnataka general secretary Mujahid Pasha accused the government of ignoring humanitarian concerns and said the issue had now assumed national significance.
Conclusion
As protests continue and political exchanges grow sharper, the Kogila Layout evictions have exposed fault lines within the Congress and heightened tensions with leaders outside Karnataka. While the Siddaramaiah government insists the action was lawful and driven by safety concerns, calls for greater compassion and rehabilitation underline the need to balance enforcement with humanitarian responsibility in a rapidly expanding city like Bengaluru.