Karnataka's Eviction Controversy: A Political Conundrum

Karnataka's ruling Congress has come under fire for an eviction drive targeting unauthorized occupants in Bengaluru's Fakir Colony. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the action, calling it minority-targeting. In response, Karnataka's leaders defended the move, emphasizing the land's designated purpose for waste management and human considerations for displaced migrants.

The Karnataka government's recent eviction drive in Bengaluru's Fakir Colony has sparked a political storm, with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accusing it of targeting minorities. The Congress-led state administration, however, insists the move was necessary to clear unauthorized settlements on government land designated for waste management.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar defended the action, arguing it was vital for public safety and urban planning. They assured that alternative arrangements would be made for the displaced, emphasizing that the majority were migrants settling on the land illegally.

Reacting to Vijayan's criticism, Shivakumar rebuffed it as a political ploy amid upcoming elections in Kerala, and maintained that the Congress remained committed to providing housing solutions for those genuinely in need, under schemes like the Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana.

(With inputs from agencies.)