Karnataka's Anti-Encroachment Tensions: Clash of Political Ideologies

Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar criticized Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for interfering in Karnataka's anti-encroachment drive in Bengaluru. Shivakumar emphasized safety, stating illegal occupants endangered themselves by settling in a waste-dump site. He promised housing alternatives for the eligible and denied any harmful intent towards slum dwellers.

Tensions rose as Karnataka's Deputy CM D K Shivakumar advised Kerala's CM Pinarayi Vijayan to refrain from interfering in Karnataka's internal matters, particularly regarding an anti-encroachment drive in North Bengaluru.

Vijayan had criticized the reported demolition of Muslim residential areas, describing the move as unjust and politically charged. In contrast, Shivakumar defended the actions, citing safety concerns due to the land being a former quarry pit unsuitable for habitation.

The Karnataka government assured affected families of appropriate housing measures under the Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana while clarifying misunderstandings about the bulldozing activities. Shivakumar emphasized that the drive's goal is to prevent illegal settlements without targeting any community.