The demolition drive near Bengaluru’s Kogilu village has sparked internal dissent within the Congress party, with senior leaders urging caution and compassion. The issue has escalated into a political tussle involving protests, opposition criticism, and sharp remarks from leaders across states.
A demolition drive on the outskirts of Bengaluru has opened cracks within the Congress, with senior leaders publicly stepping in to contain political damage as protests, opposition criticism and sharp remarks from within the wider Opposition ecosystem put the state government on the defensive.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Saturday spoke to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over the eviction of residents from Kogilu village near Yelahanka, a move that has triggered outrage among locals and drawn uncomfortable comparisons for the ruling party.
Venugopal said the All India Congress Committee was deeply uneasy over how the exercise was carried out and conveyed that such actions required far greater caution, sensitivity and compassion, with the human cost placed at the centre of decision-making. According to him, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar assured that they would personally engage with affected families, establish a grievance redress mechanism and ensure rehabilitation and relief.
PROTESTS AND ACCUSATIONS ON THE GROUND
The assurances came amid protests by the Social Democratic Party of India and local residents, who accused the government of displacing vulnerable families without adequate alternatives. Demonstrators demanded immediate rehabilitation, shelter and fulfilment of basic needs for those rendered homeless.
SDPI Karnataka general secretary Mujahid Pasha accused the state government of repeating the same eviction politics it once criticised. He rejected claims by ministers that the residents were illegal immigrants or that the land was earmarked solely for solid waste management, arguing that humanitarian considerations had been sidelined. He also pointed to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s criticism to argue that the issue had acquired national resonance.
GOVERNMENT DEFENDS ACTION
Siddaramaiah defended the eviction, saying the land in the Kogilu Badavane area near Yelahanka was a waste dumping site unfit for human habitation and had been encroached upon. He said repeated notices had been issued asking families to relocate, but there was no response, making eviction unavoidable.
The Chief Minister said he had directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike commissioner to arrange temporary shelter, food and other necessities. While noting that most of those living on the land were migrant workers rather than local residents, he said suitable housing arrangements would be ensured from a humanitarian perspective.
BJP HITS OUT AT CONGRESS LEADERSHIP
BJP leader R Ashoka criticised Venugopal for “interfering” in state administration, calling it an insult to federalism. “Who is KC Venugopal to intervene in the administration of Karnataka? Is he a Super CM, or does the Congress high command believe state governments function on Delhi diktats?” Ashoka asked in a post.
He added that the selective outrage exposed political motives, saying, “This is not about humanity or sensitivity; it’s about Congress high-command politics, Kerala appeasement, and election optics.” Ashoka demanded that humanitarian concerns be addressed through law, due process, and accountable state mechanisms rather than instructions from party officials with no constitutional role.
