BJP seeks special session to discuss demolition issue

Taking exception to the demolition drive taken up at Sarakki and Banaswadi, BJP MLA Suresh Kumar has demanded that the State government convene a special legislature session to debate the issue.

Addressing the media in Bengaluru on Monday, Kumar admitted that the BJP had woken up to the issue ‘late.’ He argued that the government was targeting poor land holders and innocent middle-class people and said the government had blinded itself to other major encroachments in prime locations in the City. The encroachments had taken place owing to the collusion between the officialdom and land sharks, he added.

Terming the Congress dispensation a ‘JCB government,’ he dared it to also raze down prime properties in the City, such as the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office built on Miller’s tank, Kempegowda bus terminal on Dhamarmbhudhi lake and the KSPCB office constructed on Saneguruvanahalli lake.

He held the Bangalore Development Authority responsible for creating layouts on lakebeds and other restricted areas, and demanded that the government initiate action against the authorities, instead of victimising the residents.

 He blamed the BDA again for the mushrooming of several illegal private layouts. He condemned the decision to grant permission to Mantri developers to build apartments on Sankey tank.

Kumar said the BJP would fight on behalf of those families that have been brought to the streets by holding protests.

Citing the example of the row between the Forest department and the KIADB with regard to the 711 acres of industrial land in Kadugodi, Hebbal MLA Jagadish Kumar said the government departments should work in a complementary manner and not in contradiction with each other.

He said the ISRO building stood on a lake, and wondered whether the government would ever dare demolish this building, too.