Civic Body Demolitions Leave Hundreds Homeless in Bengaluru; Committee Demands Permanent Rehabilitation
Land and Housing Rights Body Condemns “Premeditated” Bulldozing of Settlements, Calls for Immediate Aid and On-Site Reconstruction
In a forceful condemnation of a large-scale demolition drive, the Committee for the Struggle of the Land and Housing Rights Deprived has demanded that the Karnataka government construct permanent homes on-site for over 400 families left destitute after their houses were razed in Bengaluru’s Kogilu village. The committee alleges the action by Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials was “unconstitutional” and executed with no prior warning.
The demolitions, carried out on Tuesday in the Kogilu area of Bengaluru North’s Yelahanka taluk, have sparked outrage and accusations of a “pre-planned atrocity” reminiscent of bulldozer actions in northern Indian states.
“ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬುಲ್ಡೋಜರ್ ಆತಂಕ – ಪೂರ್ವಯೋಜಿತ ದುಷ್ಕೃತ್ಯ”: ಕೋಗಿಲು ವಸತಿ ಪಾಡಿ, ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ತಾತ್ಕಾಲಿಕ ಹಕ್ಕುಪತ್ರ ರದ್ದತಿ
Rights activist Syed Mazhar Khadri has strongly condemned the GBA officials @GBA_office for the illegal demolition of the Kogilu slums, which has left nearly 2,000 poor residents homeless.
Families—many living there for around three decades—including children,… pic.twitter.com/H6hZdDyHGf
— RafeeQ Jabbar Naqshbandi (@azzharee) December 23, 2025
A Community Uprooted After Decades
According to Kumar Samatala, Secretary of the committee, the affected families—primarily from Dalit, minority, and backward communities—had been residing in the settlement on government land (Survey No. 99) for 25-30 years. They had applied for regularisation of their plots under Section 94C of the relevant law and were in possession of temporary tenure certificates issued by the government.
“In a shocking move, these temporary certificates were cancelled without any hint or due process,” stated Samatala in a press release. He described a scene of utter distress: “Without any notice three months prior, without any warning, and without even allowing families to retrieve their stored food, clothing, or household items gathered through hard labour, the GBA officials, with police force, suddenly demolished the houses. This is akin to the actions of the bulldozer governments of the north.”
“An Inhumane Act” in a Minister’s Backyard
Samatala expressed particular dismay that such an “atrocious and inhuman act” occurred within the assembly constituency of a sitting Revenue Minister. “It is extremely deplorable,” he said.
The aftermath has left vulnerable populations exposed to the elements. “Because of this disgraceful act, the poor families who have lost their shelter, including children and the elderly, are now stranded in the open, suffering without protection from cold, wind, or sun,” Samatala added. “We strongly condemn this malicious, premeditated atrocity by the Greater Bengaluru Authority.”
Demands for Immediate Relief and Permanent Solution
The committee has put forth a set of immediate and long-term demands to address the humanitarian crisis. It has called for the government to immediately construct habitable temporary sheds with basic infrastructure for all displaced families and to provide monthly food supplies.
“#Bulldozer Politics Rein In under @Siddaramaiah & @DKShivakumar‘s @INCKarnataka Govt.” @GBA_office authorities demolished over 150 long-standing homes in Kogilu Layout Slum, leaving hundreds of poor families with small children displaced in the winter cold.… pic.twitter.com/pr8up4C3wy
— RafeeQ Jabbar Naqshbandi (@azzharee) December 21, 2025
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Crucially, the advocacy group is pushing for a permanent resolution. “The state government must construct permanent homes for the displaced, landless poor at the very same location,” Samatala asserted. This demand underscores the committee’s position that rehabilitation, not mere removal, is the state’s obligation.
The incident has highlighted the fragile tenure of informal settlements in India’s rapidly expanding tech capital and sets the stage for a potential confrontation between civic authorities and housing rights activists over the path to rehabilitation.
Key Quotes
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Kumar Samatala: “Without any warning… the GBA officials, with police force, suddenly demolished the houses. This is akin to the actions of the bulldozer governments of the north.”
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Kumar Samatala: “Because of this disgraceful act, the poor families… are now stranded in the open, suffering without protection from cold, wind, or sun.”
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ಕುಮಾರ್ ಸಮತಳ: “ಯಾವುದೇ ಮುನ್ಸೂಚನೆಯೂ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ… ಜಿಬಿಎ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು, ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಬಲದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಏಕಾಏಕಿ ಮನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಧ್ವಂಸ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದು ಉತ್ತರ ಪ್ರದೇಶದ ಬುಲ್ಡೋಜರ್ ಸರಕಾರದಂತೆಯೇ.”
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ಕುಮಾರ್ ಸಮತಳ: “ಈ ದುಷ್ಕೃತ್ಯದಿಂದಾಗಿ ನೆಲೆ ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡ ಬಡ ಕುಟುಂಬಗಳು… ಚಳಿ, ಗಾಳಿ, ಬಿಸಿಲೆನ್ನದೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ನಿರ್ವಸಿತರಾಗಿ ಪರಿತಪಿಸುವಂತಾಗಿದೆ.”
