Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Pinarayi Vijayan (R).
Credit: DH, PTI Photo
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar launched a broadside against Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan for his statement criticising the “brutal normalisation of the bulldozer raj” in Bengaluru.
On Friday, Vijayan criticised the Congress government for evicting Muslim families in Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout.
“Sadly, the Sangh Parivar’s anti-minority politics is now being executed under a Congress government in Karnataka,” he had said.
Siddaramaiah slammed Vijayan, calling his statement “politically motivated” and devoid of facts.
“There is a fundamental difference between ‘bulldozer justice’ and the lawful removal of illegal encroachments,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Several people had illegally erected makeshift shelters at the waste-disposal site in the Kogilu Layout near Yelahanka. It is not a place suitable for human habitation. Despite issuing notices on multiple occasions directing the families to relocate, the residents failed to comply,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Under these circumstances, it became unavoidable to clear the encroachment and vacate the site,” the chief minister said, adding that the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has been asked to arrange temporary shelter, food and other essentials to all those affected.
“While most of the occupants were migrant workers and not residents, the government will nevertheless ensure appropriate accommodation on humanitarian grounds,” he added. A miffed Shivakumar asked Vijayan to keep out of Karnataka affairs.
He charged that Vijayan made the statement keeping the upcoming Kerala elections in mind.
“The land, which was cleared of encroachment, was a solid waste pit,” Shivakumar, who is in charge of Bengaluru Urban Development, said.
“The land mafia sets up slums to encroach upon public property at a later stage. We won’t let that happen,” he said.
Shivakumar said his government does not follow the ‘bulldozer culture’ now.
“We are only protecting government land in the middle of the city,” he said, adding that he would report Vijayan’s statement and the Congress’ response to the party’s top brass and Kerala counterparts.
Shivakumar pointed out that Bengaluru does not have many slums “like other cities” and added that the eviction had nothing to do with
minorities.”