Bengaluru, Dec 29 (IANS) The unauthorised construction row in Bengaluru took a new turn on Monday, with the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that it has information suggesting that the displaced residents are Rohingyas and opposing the state government’s move to allot houses to them under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan, in Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy claimed that information available with the party indicated that those who lost their homes in the recent demolition drive were Rohingyas. He demanded that the matter be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

He reiterated that the BJP has information indicating that all those whose houses were demolished are Rohingyas and said that houses should not be allotted to them under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme.

Narayanaswamy warned that if houses were illegally provided to those who lost huts and residential structures in the Kogilu locality of Bengaluru, the government would be compelled to provide houses to all similarly displaced people across the state.

He questioned the plan to provide houses to what he described as Bangladeshi nationals and asked what would happen to local residents who had lost their homes. “Who are these people? Verify their identities,” he demanded.

Mocking the government, Narayanaswamy remarked that after a tweet by AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, “even your (ruling Congress leaders’) clothes have become wet.”

He further alleged that around 200 huts near Hebbal Bridge were being used for ganja and drug trafficking and criticised the government for failing to act despite being informed. He claimed that those residing there possess voter ID cards and ration cards, and accused the Congress of creating slums purely for appeasement and vote-bank politics.

He also questioned the authority of AICC General Secretary and Congress MP K.C. Venugopal and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to interfere in the issue.

Referring to the demolition of residences built on government land at Kogilu Layout in Bengaluru, Narayanaswamy said the government had used bulldozers to clear encroachments. He pointed out that while the Kerala Chief Minister had spoken about a “bulldozer culture”, Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had granted permission for the demolition, were now silent.

“What business does the Kerala Chief Minister have here? The people of Kerala know what kind of politics is being played there,” he said, describing the Karnataka government as extremely weak.

Narayanaswamy warned that even if the government chose to act under the influence of K.C. Venugopal or Pinarayi Vijayan, it should not force the people of Karnataka to bow before outsiders. Questioning Venugopal’s authority, he asked who he was to interfere in Karnataka’s administration.

Referring to Minister for Housing and Waqf Zameer Ahmad’s visit to the area and his reported statement, “Kal shaam tak aapko meethi khabar mil jaayegi” (by tomorrow evening, you will get good news), Narayanaswamy asked whether this did not point to a systematic conspiracy by the government.

Calling the administration a “scrap government”, he questioned why one Wasim, who he alleged had accepted money from residents, had not been arrested, and termed the state administration a “government of servitude”.

Meanwhile, taking objection to the Congress-led Karnataka government’s demolition drive against unauthorised constructions in Bengaluru, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Saturday raised concerns, saying such actions should have been undertaken with greater caution and sensitivity.

AICC General Secretary and Congress Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal made the remarks after speaking to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

In a post on social media platform X, Venugopal said: “I spoke to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar regarding the demolition of unauthorised constructions in Kogilu village, Bengaluru. I conveyed the AICC’s serious concern that such actions should have been undertaken with far greater caution, sensitivity and compassion, keeping the human impact at the centre.”

The controversy escalated further after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the Karnataka government was adopting a “bulldozer model”, similar to Uttar Pradesh, to evict Muslims in parts of Bengaluru.

Reacting strongly, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar asked the Kerala Chief Minister not to interfere in Karnataka’s internal affairs and dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.

“Without knowing the facts, Mr Pinarayi should not interfere in our state’s affairs. These are political gimmicks ahead of elections,” Shivakumar said.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is scheduled to visit the Kogilu locality later on Monday.

–IANS

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