After demolition, some damage control

The Karnataka government is well within its legal rights to reclaim public land. But legality, when stripped of humanity, becomes a tool for undisputed power. The demolition of 167 homes in Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout near Kogilu, Yelahanka, was not merely an administrative action; it was a humanitarian crisis, executed with indifference to human life. Officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) arrived at around 4.30 am, when families were asleep, and flattened homes without allowing the residents to retrieve even basic belongings. The residents stated they were not informed about the action. Women, children, and the elderly were forced out into the cold. If governance is judged by the treatment of the most vulnerable, this episode marks a moral failure.

Many residents insist that they have lived at the location for over two decades, some having availed bank loans to build modest homes. Even if these structures were unauthorised, decades of habitation demand due process, humane eviction protocols, and, crucially, rehabilitation. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the right to life under Article 21 includes the right to shelter and dignity. Bulldozers at dawn, without relief on the ground, trample upon this constitutional guarantee. A week after the incident, it is civil society groups, trade unions, and volunteers that are providing food, blankets, and essentials. On Monday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the “eligible” among the displaced families will be accommodated at the multi-storied apartment in Byatarayanapura, built for economically weaker sections of the society. There is no clarity, yet, on the eligibility criteria. The move, made on “humanitarian grounds”, may take some of the political heat off the government. But questions on the manner in which the demolition was carried out will remain.

The political fallout has further exposed the state government’s discomfort. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s charge of “bulldozer justice” may be coloured by his own state’s political compulsions, but it resonated because the images from Kogilu were indefensible. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal’s intervention, expressing “serious concern” over the incident, underlines the unease within the ruling party itself. Equally conspicuous has been the silence of the BJP. The government must immediately provide temporary shelters, winter-proof accommodation, food, and medical care. It must ensure the flat allotment timeline – by the first week of the new year – is met. An independent inquiry should examine whether due process was followed and hold officials accountable for excesses. Reclaiming land does not require demolishing dignity – it requires foresight, fairness, and empathy.