State Government Urged to Act Humanely After Kogilu Demolitions
United Struggle Karnataka Demands Immediate Rehabilitation for All Affected Families
Bengaluru, January 2: In a strong condemnation of the state government’s actions, United Struggle Karnataka (Samyukta Horata Karnataka) has accused the Karnataka government of committing a “grave and inhuman mistake” by demolishing the homes of poor residents in Kogilu. The collective has demanded that the government immediately provide dignified and adequate housing to all displaced families, without discrimination based on documents or place of origin.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, senior activists including Badagalapura Nagaraj, H.R. Basavarajappa, S. Varalakshmi, Noor Sridhar, Guruprasad Keragodu, Bhagawan Reddy, S.R. Hiremath, Mavalli Shankar, and several others said the government must not compound its initial injustice by reneging on its promises to the victims.
ಬಲಾಢ್ಯರಿಗೆ ಮೌನ, ಬಡವರಿಗೆ ದಾಳಿ: ಕೋಗಿಲು ಧ್ವಂಸಗಳ ಬಳಿಕ ಮಾನವೀಯವಾಗಿ ನಡೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗ್ರಹ
Broken Promises and Shifting Stands
The activists recalled that the Congress-led government had earlier assured that, as a humanitarian gesture at the start of the New Year, the keys to houses built under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme would be handed over to the Kogilu demolition victims. However, they alleged that the government is now backtracking.
“Statements suggesting that only those with documents or only residents of Karnataka will be given houses expose a disturbing lack of commitment and compassion,” the group said, warning that such selective rehabilitation amounts to institutional discrimination against the poor.
False Narratives and Political Vilification
United Struggle Karnataka also lashed out at the BJP, accusing it of politicising the tragedy instead of standing with the displaced. The organisation condemned what it called “baseless and dangerous allegations” branding the Kogilu residents as illegal immigrants.
“The claim that the residents are Bangladeshis is a blatant lie meant to deny the poor their right to shelter,” the activists asserted. They clarified that the affected families include people from different parts of Karnataka, neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, and a few from Uttar Pradesh. “There is not a single Bangladeshi among them,” the statement emphasised.
Internal Dissent and Threatening Postures
The group expressed concern over conflicting signals emerging from within the ruling Congress itself. While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan have spoken of rehabilitation, certain voices within the party appear to be resisting these decisions.
Pointing to recent statements by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the activists said threats to clear all “illegal settlements” in Bengaluru and to initiate action against officials reflect a harsh, eviction-centric mindset. “Such rhetoric is condemnable and only deepens the insecurity of the urban poor,” they warned.
Selective Action Against the Poor
Citing a report by former MLA A.T. Ramaswamy, United Struggle Karnataka highlighted that nearly 23,000 acres of land in and around Bengaluru are allegedly under illegal occupation by powerful interests. “The government lacks the courage to act against the influential, but it readily crushes the homes and lives of the poor. This selective enforcement is shameful,” the statement said.
Call for Accountability and Humane Governance
The activists urged the government to learn from the Kogilu demolition episode and to desist from evicting people without ensuring proper rehabilitation. “Displacing the poor without providing alternative arrangements is not governance—it is cruelty,” they said, calling upon the state to immediately restore dignity and security to the affected families.
United Struggle Karnataka reiterated that the right to shelter is fundamental and warned that any further delay or discrimination in rehabilitation would be met with intensified democratic resistance.
Key Quotes
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“Demolishing homes without rehabilitation is not governance, it is cruelty.”
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“The poor are being punished while thousands of acres grabbed by the powerful remain untouched.”
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“Branding Kogilu residents as ‘illegal immigrants’ is a deliberate lie to deny them shelter.”
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“The government must not commit a second injustice by abandoning the displaced families.”
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“ಪುನರ್ವಸತಿ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ಮನೆ ಧ್ವಂಸ ಮಾಡುವುದು ಆಡಳಿತವಲ್ಲ, ಅದು ಕ್ರೂರತೆ.”
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“ಬಲಾಢ್ಯರ ಅಕ್ರಮ ಭೂಮಿ ಮುಟ್ಟದೆ, ಬಡವರ ಬದುಕನ್ನು ನಾಶ ಮಾಡಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ.”
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“ಕೋಗಿಲು ನಿವಾಸಿಗಳನ್ನು ವಿದೇಶಿಗಳೆಂದು ಹೇಳುವುದು ನೆಲೆ ನಿರಾಕರಿಸುವ ಸುಳ್ಳು.”
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“ಸಂತ್ರಸ್ತರನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟುಬಿಟ್ಟರೆ ಅದು ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಎರಡನೇ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಅನ್ಯಾಯ.”
