Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday rejected the BJP's accusations of "appeasement politics" over the state government's decision to provide alternate housing for residents of Kogilu's Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony, whose houses were demolished by the administration recently, triggering widespread criticism.
Shivakumar stated that the relief is a humanitarian measure, and houses are being given to those eligible under the Chief Minister's housing scheme.
"Some people are saying that they were given a title deed. It is being examined. Some who have come from outside have also joined in encroachment. We have documents. If their names are there genuinely in the voter list and other documents, we will rehabilitate such people," he said, adding that the government is not making an illegal thing legal, but is helping genuine homeless with proper documents.
Responding to a question on the BJP accusing the government of Muslim "appeasement politics," Shivakumar said, "There is no question of any appeasement politics. No one should indulge in illegal encroachment, we are not ready to give any gifts to illegal encroachers. We will take legal action against those behind encroachment. People have given statements that money was collected from them by a few for allowing them to construct houses there,"
More than 400 houses in Kogilu's Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony, mostly belonging to Muslim families, were razed by the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited on December 20, alleging that the construction was illegal. The officials also claimed that most of the occupants were migrants from other states.
However, the action invited widespread criticism for the Congress government, including condemnation from Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, who described the demolition as "brutal normalisation of the bulldozer raj."
This prompted the intervention of Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, who conveyed the AICC's serious concern to CM and Deputy CM, stating that such actions (demolition) should have been undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity, and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre.
Amid the political backlash, the Karnataka government on Monday announced rehabilitation for "genuine" victims on humanitarian grounds.
To a question on alleged condemnation from Kerala politicians for his statement that Karnataka doesn't want interference from the neighbouring state, in its administration, the Deputy CM said, "Let them condemn and do whatever they want. We know how to run our state."
Noting that Karnataka is a state with good governance, he said, "We don't want unnecessary interference. If they (Kerala govt) want, let them take the people (involved in encroachment) to their state and give them what they want. They (Kerala govt) have not fulfilled what they had told the people in their state, during the time of disaster. We (Karnataka govt) know how to handle our people and we will do it."
(With inputs from PTI)