Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday rejected Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s criticism of the recent demolition drive in Bengaluru, saying the Congress government does not follow a “bulldozer culture” and acted only to clear encroached government land.
Shivakumar’s remarks came after Vijayan accused the Karnataka government of promoting “bulldozer raj” and indulging in “anti-minority politics” following the demolition of more than 200 houses in the city earlier this week. In a post on X, the Kerala Chief Minister said that when governments rule through fear and force, constitutional values and human dignity suffer, drawing comparisons with similar actions in some northern states.
Responding sharply, Shivakumar said Vijayan had commented on the issue “without knowing the facts.” Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, the Deputy Chief Minister said the demolished houses were built on encroached government land that was being used as a solid waste dumping site.
“The land we cleared was a waste dumping yard. People in the area were facing serious health issues because of it. We also showed humanity and gave residents time to relocate,” he said.
Dismissing allegations of “bulldozer raj,” Shivakumar added, “We don’t believe in bulldozer culture. I appeal to Pinarayi Vijayan not to make such statements. Our action was only to protect government land located in the heart of the city.”
He also alleged the involvement of land mafias in setting up such settlements. “Slums are often created by land mafias to grab land later. We will not allow that,” he said, adding that eligible families would be rehabilitated. “If people qualify, houses will be provided under the Rajiv Gandhi housing scheme.”
The demolition drive was carried out in Fakir Colony and Wasim Layout of Kogilu village in the early hours of December 22 by the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited, with heavy police deployment. The operation left nearly 400 families homeless.
While the Karnataka government maintained that the structures were illegally built on government land near a lake and an Urdu government school, residents alleged they were evicted without prior notice and forced to spend nights on the streets.
Local reports said many affected families, mostly migrant workers, claimed they had been living in the area for more than 20 years and possessed documents such as Aadhaar cards and voter ID cards. Protests later broke out in several parts of the city, including near the residence of Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, with multiple organisations joining the demonstrations.
Responding to allegations of targeting minorities, Shivakumar said the issue had nothing to do with religion. “Bengaluru is not like other cities. This is the constituency of Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, and he has already spoken to officials. If anyone has been genuinely affected, they will be given housing elsewhere,” he said.
He also said the Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan had built lakhs of houses for the poor across the state.
Terming the protests and statements triggered by Vijayan’s remarks as politically motivated, Shivakumar said, “These comments are made without understanding the ground reality. This looks like a political move ahead of the Kerala elections.”
On the rights of the displaced residents, he said the state would support all those living in Karnataka with valid documents and had directed officials to issue clear instructions in this regard.