Eviction row: Govt considering rehabilitating genuine locals, says Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru: As the demolition of "illegal houses" at Kogilu in north Bengaluru triggered a political row, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said the state government is considering rehabilitating genuine locals who were evicted.

He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would convene a meeting on the issue on Monday.

The houses at Kogilu's Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony were demolished on December 20 by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited to clear encroachments for a proposed solid waste processing unit, officials said claiming that the houses were constructed without any official permission, and most of the occupants were migrants from other states.

"....our officials had given proper notice (before demolition). We are ready to rehabilitate those people if they are genuine and if they are local people. We will do whatever the best help we can under the Rajiv Gandhi housing scheme," Shivakumar, who is also the Minister in-charge of Bengaluru development said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called a meeting tomorrow on the eviction issue.

State Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, who visited the locality, also said the CM and Deputy CM have called a meeting on this matter on Monday, where a decision may be taken regarding providing alternative arrangements to the people whose houses have been demolished.

"We can expect some good news," he said, adding that notices were served and temporary arrangements were also made for their shelter, but the people were not ready to move, as they feared they would be left nowhere.

The demolition sparked a political controversy after Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan criticised the drive, calling it a "brutal normalisation of the bulldozer raj".

After Vijayan's statement, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal said he has spoken to CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar and conveyed the party's concerns that such actions (demolition) should be undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre.

Meanwhile, accusing Venugopal of interfering in Karnataka's administration, the opposition BJP on Sunday asked whether he is "super CM" of the state.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly R Ashoka said Karnataka deserves respect, autonomy, and honest governance, not high-command "theatrics".

"Karnataka is not a colony of Rahul Gandhi and his coterie." "Who is K C Venugopal to “intervene” in the administration of Karnataka? Is he a Super CM, or does the Congress high command believe elected state governments function on Delhi diktats?" he asked.

Venugopal's comments have drawn flak from other opposition leaders and social media users.

Reacting to BJP's criticism against the Congress leader, Shivakumar clarified that Venugopal has not interfered in the administration of the state in any way.

"Venugopal as a General Secretary of the party has power to advise us -- that if anything is there we should go in a larger interest," he said, questioning whether BJP in-charges and offices haven't advised their government while that party was in power.

Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, responding to a question from reporters, accused Kerala CM of "engaging in politics" over the demolition issue, keeping upcoming polls for Kerala assembly in mind.

Some political leaders and organisations from Kerala too, have visited the demolition site, which is being seen as "minority vote bank politics" by politicians from the neighbouring state, as most of the affected are said to be Muslims.

Kerala MLA K T Jaleel, who visited the spot said, if the houses were illegal, how did they get voter id, electricity connection, Aadhar card and other things.

He said, "there is no difference between Congress and BJP....people have said they have not got any notice before demolition. Government should take steps to rehabilitate affected people at alternate places."

Number of affected families have stood their ground and have refused to move from the vicinity, despite their houses being demolished, sources said.