Let Congress-ruled Karnataka not go down illegal path of UP: Chidambaram opposes state's policy

New Delhi: Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday opposed the Karnataka government's move of demolishing properties of those involved in narcotics trade and said a Congress-ruled state let not go down the "illegal path of Uttar Pradesh".

"I am alarmed by the reported statement of Karnataka's Home Minister that bulldozers may be used to demolish the homes of drug peddlers. I hope the report is wrong," he said in a post on X.

Chidambaram, who has been the country's former Union Home Minister, said the Supreme Court has declared the law that demolishing homes without due process of law is illegal and will violate the fundamental and human rights of other members of the family to a shelter.

"Besides, the Congress Party's view is that 'bulldozer justice' as practised in U.P. is wrong, illegal and unjust. Let not a Congress-governed state like Karnataka go down the illegal path of UP," Chidambaram said.

His statement came after Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said the government has launched an uncompromising crackdown on the drug menace, including demolition of properties linked to foreign nationals involved in narcotics trade, as part of a wider strategy to curb trafficking across the state.

Responding to Congress MLC K Abdul Jabbar's question in the state legislative council in Belagavi on the growing drug menace in Bengaluru, Davangere and coastal districts, the home minister detailed the extensive enforcement measures initiated since the Congress government assumed office.

Pointing to the involvement of some foreign nationals, the minister said, "Many foreign students from African countries have come to Karnataka. They are into the drug business. We catch them and register cases against them, but they want the case to be registered because once the case is registered, we cannot deport them." He added that around 300 people had been deported after completing the necessary procedures.

He stressed that authorities are also tracking deported individuals and taking action against local property owners who rent accommodations to offenders, including arrests. Parameshwara said, "We have gone to the extent of demolishing the rented building where they stay." Parameshwara said the administration had intensified operations, seized unprecedented quantities of narcotics, and taken aggressive steps to dismantle networks operating within the state.

He said, "We have taken very stringent measures after our government came to power. CM has said in the House that we will make Karnataka a drug-free state."