Venugopal advises Siddaramaiah to show 'caution, compassion' in Bengaluru demolitions

Venugopal spoke to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, conveying that the All India Congress Committee was deeply uncomfortable with how the demolitions were carried out.

• Congress faces backlash over home demolitions near Kogilu village, Bengaluru
• Senior leaders assure relief and rehabilitation for affected families
• Protests erupt as residents demand shelter and criticize eviction methods

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The demolition of homes near Kogilu village on Bengaluru’s outskirts has triggered unease within the Congress, prompting senior leaders to step in as the Karnataka government faces protests, criticism from the Opposition, and uncomfortable questions from allies across states.

The controversy centres on an eviction drive in the Kogilu Badavane area near Yelahanka, where residents were cleared from land that the government says is a waste dumping site. The manner of the action, however, has sparked political fallout, with Congress general secretary KC Venugopal directly intervening.

Venugopal spoke to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, conveying that the All India Congress Committee was deeply uncomfortable with how the demolitions were carried out. According to him, such exercises demand far greater care, sensitivity and compassion, with the human impact placed at the heart of decisions. He said both leaders assured him that they would personally reach out to affected families, put a grievance redress mechanism in place and ensure rehabilitation and relief.

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

These assurances came against the backdrop of protests by local residents and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). Demonstrators accused the government of uprooting vulnerable families without providing viable alternatives, demanding immediate shelter, rehabilitation and access to basic necessities for those rendered homeless.

SDPI Karnataka general secretary Mujahid Pasha alleged that the Congress was mirroring the very eviction politics it had earlier criticised. He dismissed claims that the settlers were illegal immigrants or that the land was meant exclusively for waste management, arguing that humanitarian concerns had been ignored. Pasha also pointed to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s intervention to underline that the issue had moved beyond Karnataka.

The state government, however, has defended its decision. Siddaramaiah said that the land had been encroached upon and was unfit for habitation as it functioned as a dumping site. He added that multiple notices had been issued asking residents to vacate, but with no response, eviction became unavoidable.

The Chief Minister said that he had instructed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner to arrange temporary shelter, food and other essentials, and stressed that housing solutions would be provided on humanitarian grounds. He also noted that most of those affected were migrant workers rather than local residents.

Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar took strong exception to Vijayan’s criticism, calling it unfortunate and asking leaders from outside the state to understand ground realities before commenting.

He rejected allegations of “bulldozer justice”, insisting the action was meant to protect public land and not target any community. Shivakumar alleged that land mafia interests were attempting to convert an encroached dumpsite into a slum and said residents had been given opportunities to relocate.

Vijayan, in a Facebook post, had described the demolition of Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout as shocking and painful, accusing the Congress government of adopting a “North Indian-style bulldozer model”, a charge that has further intensified the political tussle around the Bengaluru evictions.