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BJP’s ‘Mini Pakistan’ Charge Pushes Kogilu Demolition Row Into New Territory
BJP’s ‘Mini Pakistan’ Charge Pushes Kogilu Demolition Row Into New Territory
With deportations, document checks and a sharp interstate political exchange running parallelly, the Kogilu episode has moved far beyond a local demolition drive.
Allegations by the Karnataka BJP that the demolished settlement was a “mini Pakistan" housing illegal Bangladeshi immigrants have pushed the controversy into a new terrain.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's charge that the Congress government in Karnataka was indulging in “bulldozer politics" through the Kogilu demolitions has now taken a back seat, with the BJP escalating its attack with more serious allegations.
After visiting Kogilu Layout near Yelahanka, the BJP accused the Congress government of encouraging large-scale encroachments and illegal settlements. Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka claimed that satellite images and Google Maps showed no residential structures in the area a year ago, suggesting that the settlement had come up rapidly over the last few months.
“How were electricity connections given so quickly?" Ashoka questioned, alleging that the Siddaramaiah government was deliberately allowing illegal colonies to mushroom. “After misleading Kannadigas for years, the Congress is now creating mini Bangladeshs in Karnataka," he said.
Rejecting the BJP's charge of vote-bank politics, the Congress said the party had never used illegal immigrants for electoral gain. “There is no question of that. The Congress has never indulged in such practices and never will," home minister G Parameshwara had said earlier.
Ashoka has previously accused the Congress of attempting to turn Karnataka into a “mini Pakistan" for vote-bank benefits by appeasing minorities. His renewed attack in the wake of the Kogilu demolitions has given the controversy a fresh political edge.
The Karnataka government, however, has pushed back strongly. Parameshwara, responding to Ashoka's claim that those displaced during the Kogilu Layout demolition were illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, said any such individuals found would be deported.
Identifying illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, he said, is part of a state-wide exercise and not limited to Kogilu alone. In July this year, Karnataka deported over 200 illegal Bangladeshi migrants following targeted crackdowns, particularly in the construction sector. Most of those deported were working as daily-wage labourers and were sent back after failing document verification. Several were found working in coffee estates and construction sites across the state.
Parameshwara said there would be no question of extending benefits to illegal immigrants if they are identified during police verification. “If any Bangladeshi nationals are found to be staying illegally, the police will take them into custody and deport them. Those involved in criminal activities will face arrest. There will be no alternative housing or facilities for illegal immigrants," he said.
Parameshwara also warned the Opposition against what he described as loose and provocative remarks. While the BJP was free to oppose the government and protest, he said the issue should not be communalised. “The law will take its course. There is no protection for anyone staying illegally," he said.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority is currently surveying the demolished area and compiling a list of those who lost their shelters. “Once the list is prepared, the police will verify the background of each individual—their origin, how long they have been in Bengaluru and the nature of their stay at the site. Decisions will be taken only after that process," the home minister said.
The Kogilu Demolitions
The Kogilu controversy stems from the demolition of 167 makeshift sheds at Kogilu in north Bengaluru on December 20. The structures stood on government land earmarked for a solid waste management facility.
As political pressure mounted, the Karnataka government announced that alternative housing would be provided to displaced families who are found to be genuine residents of Karnataka and do not own houses or residential sites. Initially, January 1 was indicated as the date for handing over new homes, but officials have since said the process could take a few more days as document verification is still underway.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority has deployed teams to scrutinise applications and identify eligible beneficiaries. Officials said the alternative accommodation would be located within a seven-kilometre radius of Kogilu.
The issue escalated after Vijayan criticised the demolition, arguing that it reflected a broader pattern of “bulldozer raj" and pointing out that most of those affected were Muslims.
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Chief minister Siddaramaiah clarified that the illegal structures had come up on 15 acres of government land handed over to the municipal corporation for waste processing. “We are providing alternative accommodation purely on humanitarian grounds," he said, reiterating that encroachment on government land would not be tolerated.
The chief minister also said action would be taken against officials who allowed the illegal sheds to come up in the first place. He pointed out that the land was close to a rock quarry and a garbage dumping site, with biogas emissions making it unsuitable for habitation.
Source: News18
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