'Don't Interfere Without Knowing Facts': DK Shivakumar Hits Back At Kerala CM Over Bengaluru Demolition Drive

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took a sharp jibe at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday over his criticism of the recent demolition drive in Bengaluru, asserting that "senior leaders should not interfere without knowing the facts on the ground."

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Shivakumar described Vijayan's remarks as "unfortunate" and said leaders from outside the state must first understand Bengaluru's realities before making political comments. The Deputy CM maintained that the action was aimed at protecting public land and not targeted at any community.

Shivakumar said the area in question was an encroached waste dumpsite and alleged that land mafia interests were behind attempts to turn it into a slum.

"We have humanity. We gave people an opportunity to move to new places. Only a few of them are locals," he said, adding that the government was trying to protect public space. "We are not into bulldozers. We are trying to safeguard our land and public property," he asserted.

Shivakumar also appealed directly to the Kerala Chief Minister to refrain from commenting without full knowledge of the situation. "Senior leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan should know the issues in Bengaluru. We know our city well, and we don't want to entertain slums that promote land mafia activities," he said.

The Deputy CM's response came after Vijayan, in a post on Facebook, strongly criticised the demolition of Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout in Bengaluru. Vijayan termed the action "extremely shocking and painful," alleging that Muslims had been living in these areas for years and accusing the Karnataka government of following a "North Indian bulldozer justice model."

The Kerala CM further questioned the Congress-led Karnataka government, asking how it could justify forced evictions instead of ensuring shelter for the poor. He described the demolitions as reflective of "anti-minority aggressive politics" and said it was surprising to see such actions under a Congress government. 

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