Tension over the Kogilu demolition drive in Yelahanka intensified on Wednesday as Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka launched a blistering attack on the Congress government, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of turning Karnataka into a "mini Bangladesh."
During a visit to the eviction site, Ashoka alleged that the state's sudden pivot to provide alternative housing for the displaced residents is nothing more than blatant "appeasement politics" triggered by pressure from the Congress high command and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Ashoka raised serious questions about the rapid emergence of the settlement, claiming that Google Maps imagery from just a year ago shows the area was vacant land. He questioned how high-end cable electricity connections were provided to these "unauthorised" residents within six months, while nearly four lakh tax-paying Kannadigas are currently living without power. "Are they relatives of Siddaramaiah?" he asked pointedly, noting that the government seems more concerned with rehabilitating these individuals than helping the 13,000 farmers whose homes were destroyed by floods or the 2,400 schools where students are currently studying under trees.
The BJP leader described the land in question as prime property worth roughly ₹600 crore and demanded to know under what legal provision it was being handed over. He warned that such settlements would inevitably become hubs for crime and accused the government of "gifting houses to Bangladeshis for the New Year" while giving ordinary Kannadigas nothing.
Adding weight to the attack, Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy demanded an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to verify the original records of the residents. He slammed the government’s "U-turn" as a desperate move to protect a minority vote bank, asking why 38 lakh people waiting for housing across the state are being ignored while those evicted in Kogilu receive immediate flats. Former Deputy CM CN Ashwath Narayan echoed these concerns, calling the situation a massive security threat to Bengaluru and the country, and insisted that the government stop "covering up" for illegal immigrants who have crossed multiple state borders.
Also read: Siddaramaiah nears record as Karnataka’s longest-serving CM
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