Kogilu demolition: BJP suspects illegal immigrants; seeks high-level probe

Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Tuesday urged the government to conduct a high-level probe to look into whether the persons whose houses were demolished at Kogilu in North Bengaluru were Indian citizens.

Addressing a press conference, Ashoka said: “Whoever is there illegally has to be evicted. I urge the government to conduct a high-level probe at the IAS level (officers). Are they Kannadigas or not? Are they foreigners or not? Till then, no house has to be given to them.”

Displaying two maps, which he said were from 2023 and 2025, the LoP claimed that there had been no houses in 2023, and that they were built over the last six months.

“By providing houses to land encroachers, the Congress government is setting a bad precedent. This will encourage the land mafia,” he said.

Referring to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement that the land was being provided on “humanitarian grounds,” Ashoka claimed that there were 40 sites in Bengaluru where there had been evictions, and wondered whether houses would be provided to all those persons.

Responding to a question on whether there should be rehabilitation in such cases of eviction, Ashoka said rehabilitation measures should not be undertaken.

The LoP referred to the government’s reply during a question in the Legislative Council during the Winter Session of the Legislature in Belagavi that concluded on December 19. As per the reply, 37.48 lakh persons in Karnataka did not have houses (17.31 lakh persons without sites and 20.17 lakh persons without houses).

Claiming that the Congress was under pressure from their High Command and the Kerala government to rehabilitate the families evicted from Kogilu, he said, “If this is made on humanitarian grounds, lakhs of govt land will be swallowed. Don't do this. Don't bend before political pressure.”

Ashoka said the BJP legal team would take up the issue and file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

Meanwhile, Union Labour Minister for State Shobha Karandlaje urged Karnataka police to go to West Bengal and check whether those evicted from Kogilu were indeed Indian citizens or not.

“Illegal decisions are being taken in Karnataka. I feel Karnataka should also have an SIR. Let the truth come out on who are immigrants and who are not,” Shobha added.