“This Is About Public Health, Not Politics,” DK Shivakumar Hits Back at Pinarayi Vijayan Over Demolitions

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday launched a sharp counterattack against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, rejecting his criticism of Bengaluru’s ongoing anti-encroachment demolition drive and accusing him of turning a civic issue into a political debate.

Speaking during a visit to Kogilu Fakir Colony, where illegal structures were recently cleared, Shivakumar said the action was taken strictly in the interest of public health and protection of government land. “This has nothing to do with politics or communities. Our responsibility is to protect people from health risks and stop illegal occupation of public property,” he said.

The Deputy CM stated that Bengaluru cannot afford unchecked encroachments, especially in areas meant for civic utilities. He stressed that the government would not allow slums or unauthorised settlements to come up on public land, warning that those grabbing government property would face strict consequences. “Land grabbers will not be spared. Protecting government land is our duty,” he added.

Shivakumar also claimed that the area had been used for solid waste management for nearly a decade and alleged that illegal constructions had come up suddenly. According to him, temporary sheds and houses were built overnight on land that does not even have an official voter list. He said local legislators had also flagged the issue to the administration.

Taking aim at what he called “political interference,” Shivakumar alleged that some of the demolished structures were built on a garbage dumping site. He accused certain groups of misleading people and injecting politics into an administrative action. “Some people took money and built illegal houses. Turning this into a political or emotional issue is wrong,” he said.