The bulldozer operation carried out in Kogila Layout, located near Yelahanka area of Karnataka capital Bengaluru, has created a stir in state and national politics. On the one hand, this action highlights the discontent and uneasiness within the Congress party, while on the other hand, it also shows a rare public solidarity between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, while there is usually talk of a tussle over power between the two.
This controversy deepened further when Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed this action as Bulldozer Raj. He alleged that Muslim families were targeted and destroyed in Bengaluru, due to which the issue turned into an ideological and political debate rather than just an administrative one. The Karnataka government says the move was taken for security and environmental reasons, while critics claim human sensitivities were ignored.
Political uneasiness within Congress after Kogila layout demolition
The eviction in Kogila Layout has raised questions within the Congress party as well. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary KC Venugopal publicly expressed concern, saying, “Such actions should have been taken with much more care, sensitivity and compassion.” The Congress has long described itself as the voice of minorities and marginalized sections. In such a situation, this action of Bengaluru started being compared with those states where BJP governments have been accused of adopting bulldozer justice. The situation became more uncomfortable for Congress after pictures and videos of displaced families surfaced on social media.
Rare unity of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar
The most notable aspect in this entire controversy was the speaking in one voice by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The two leaders are generally considered rivals within the party, but they stood by each other and defended the government’s action in the Kogila layout case. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified on social media platform He said that despite issuing notices several times, people did not move away from there, due to which the administration was left with no other option.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar also put forward the same argument and said that this land has been notified for solid waste disposal unit for the last nine years. Accusing the land mafia, he said that the government cannot allow illegal slums to be established on public land. Shivakumar completely rejected the comparison of bulldozer culture and said that outside leaders should not comment without knowing the facts.
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