Don’t interfere in Karnataka’s affairs: Shivakumar tells Kerala CM on bulldozer remark
Bengaluru, Dec. 27 — Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar warned Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan not to meddle in the state’s internal affairs after the latter reportedly likened Karnataka’s approach to the “bulldozer model” used in Uttar Pradesh to drive Muslims out of Bengaluru.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar, who also handles the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said the comments were unwarranted. “Without knowing the facts, Mr Pinarayi should not interfere in our state’s affairs,” he said. “These are political gimmicks ahead of elections. Those evicted with valid documents and those belonging to Karnataka will certainly be helped.”
He explained that temporary shacks had appeared overnight at a quarry site that had been flagged a decade ago for garbage dumping. “After discussions with local representatives and officers, an order was issued to vacate the land, and the area has now been cleared,” Shivakumar told the media. “We are doing this work without troubling anyone. Those who are eligible will be rehabilitated.”
The Deputy Chief Minister called Vijayan’s remarks “unfortunate” and urged the Kerala CM to understand Bengaluru’s situation first. “Some people have encroached on a quarry pit used as a solid‑waste dumping site. It is a hazardous area with serious health risks, and they attempted to occupy it illegally,” he added.
Shivakumar emphasized that the state government had no intention of using bulldozers. “We only vacated a public place in the heart of the city. It is a site earmarked for garbage dumping, and we cannot allow encroachment there,” he said. He noted that eligible residents are being provided houses under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme.
According to him, protests at the site were politically motivated rather than based on genuine grievance. He concluded, “We know Bengaluru well and want to prevent land mafia from creating slums. We are protecting government land.”
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