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Congress leader KC Venugopal spoke to Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar after the Karnataka government’s demolition drive near Yelahanka sparked criticism and protests.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with his deputy DK Shivakumar | File Image
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal on Saturday spoke to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar over the recent demolition drive in Kogilu village near Yelahanka in Bengaluru, telling them to act with compassion by keeping human impact at the centre.
“Spoke to Karnataka CM @siddaramaiah and DCM @DKShivakumar regarding the demolition of unauthorised constructions in Kogilu village, Bengaluru. Conveyed the AICC’s serious concern that such actions should have been undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre,” Venugopal said on X.
Spoke to Karnataka CM @siddaramaiah and DCM @DKShivakumar regarding the demolition of unauthorised constructions in Kogilu village, Bengaluru.Conveyed the AICC’s serious concern that such actions should have been undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and…
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) December 27, 2025
The Congress leader said the Karnataka leadership has assured an appropriate mechanism to address the grievances of the people. “They have assured that they will personally engage with the affected families, put in place an appropriate mechanism for addressing grievances, and ensure rehabilitation and relief for those impacted,” he added.
Protests Erupt Over Eviction
This came after the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and local residents held protests, condemning the demolition drive in Yelahanka and demanding immediate rehabilitation of the displaced people. The demolition drive affected mostly Muslim families, who had been living in the area for years.
SDPI Karnataka General Secretary Mujahid Pasha accused the Karnataka government of employing the same eviction politics it had criticised the BJP for, while demanding shelter and the fulfilment of basic needs for the displaced people. “The government of Karnataka has failed in considering humanity… The Housing Minister did not visit even once, even though he should have provided alternative rehabilitation and some assistance to the affected people,” he told news agency ANI.
In a bid for damage control, Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that suitable housing arrangements would be provided to people who were evicted from makeshift shelters at a waste dumping site in the Kogilu Badavane area near Yelahanka.
Kerala CM Criticises Move, Shivakumar Hits Back
Earlier, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Karnataka government of following a “North Indian bulldozer justice model” and questioned how a Congress-led administration could justify such actions. He also argued that the focus should have been on providing shelter to the poor rather than carrying out evictions.
He also said the demolitions reflected “anti-minority aggressive politics” and expressed surprise that such measures were being taken under a Congress government. Shivakumar gave a terse reply, saying leaders should avoid making remarks without understanding the ground realities of another state.
The Karnataka Deputy CM argued that the land where the demolition took place was an encroached waste dumpsite. He alleged that land mafia elements were attempting to convert the area into an illegal slum.
(with agency inputs)
December 28, 2025, 08:56 IST
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