Encroachment of government land in north Bengaluru’s Kogilu Layout, the eviction of about 200 Muslim, Dalit and Christian families, and demolition of their houses have resulted in a political brouhaha with national and international dimensions, diverting attention from the main issues of human rights violation, livelihood and possible corruption among civic authorities. What has added fuel to the fire is that they are said to have arrived from West Bengal and adjoining states, raising suspicions that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, where minorities are being targeted. The ‘encroachers’ claim they have lived at the site for about 30 years, although satellite imagery shows it was vacant till 2016. They also claim to have Aadhaar and voter ID cards to prove their citizenship and residency, which has raised suspicions on the documents’ authenticity.
On the face of it, the state government appears to have acted according to law. The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited reclaimed approximately 5 acres of the encroached land that has been earmarked for a bio-methanation plant and animal waste incineration facilities. But Karnataka State Human Rights Commission has launched a suo motu probe, red-flagging prima facie human rights violations as the settlers were evicted at 4 am with no alternative shelter.
However, the issue has spilled over with the Congress-ruled Karnataka government being targeted by the opposition BJP and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, with the latter even labelling the state government’s action “bulldozer raj”. The issue took an international dimension with Pakistan saying Muslims were being targeted—a claim countered by India’s external affairs ministry, which pointed to Pakistan’s “abysmal record on this front” and its “horrific and systematic victimisation of minorities of various faiths”.
The state government has ordered strict action against erring officials and the people who allowed the alleged encroachers to settle there. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced alternative housing for those eligible among them, which too is being questioned in case their documents are fake. The urgent need of the hour, therefore, is an in-depth probe into the claims of the alleged encroachers. Only the truth will determine whether the evicted are indeed victims of human rights violation and should be granted constitutionally-guaranteed freedom to live on as per their rights.