Karnataka High Court Reviews Demolition of Homes in Bengaluru
Court Examines Public Interest Litigation
Bengaluru, Jan 7: The Karnataka High Court has recently addressed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the demolition of residential buildings near Kogilu Layout in Bengaluru, which were reportedly constructed on government property.
The petitioners, including Jabia Tabassum, argued that approximately 3,000 individuals had lived in the area for nearly 28 years and were left homeless due to the demolitions executed by the Congress-led government in Wasim Layout and Fakir Layout.
This PIL calls for rehabilitation and compensation for those affected by the demolitions.
Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty contested the claims in the PIL, asserting that the statement regarding the 28-year residency was inaccurate.
He indicated that the government would present satellite imagery of each illegally constructed dwelling to the court.
Additionally, he argued that the Supreme Court's ruling on rehabilitation does not pertain to this situation. He informed the court that temporary accommodations had been arranged for the displaced individuals, along with provisions for food and medical care. He requested a week to submit detailed objections.
It was also noted that the demolished area is situated within a lake's catchment zone, rendering it unsuitable for residential use. Consequently, the demolitions were executed on the grounds that residents were allegedly occupying the land illegally.
The court acknowledged these submissions and scheduled the next hearing for January 22.
In the meantime, officials are continuing to verify the documents provided by the residents whose homes were demolished.
Affected individuals have been summoned for document verification, which is being conducted with the assistance of the local Yalahanka Police.
Two teams, each consisting of five members, have been established to oversee the verification process.
The BJP has accused the Congress-led government of planning to allocate housing to Bangladeshi nationals and has threatened to initiate legal action and protests if homes are given to encroachers.
On Monday, the Karnataka BJP organized a significant protest at Kogilu Cross in Bengaluru, denouncing the Congress-led government's initiative to rehabilitate encroachers on government land following intervention from the All India Congress Committee.
BJP leaders claimed that the land rightfully belongs to Kannadigas and vowed to prevent it from being transferred to Bangladeshi nationals.
They displayed placards questioning the availability of housing for local residents and the rationale behind allotting homes to alleged illegal migrants. The posters also accused the Congress-led government of engaging in appeasement politics.
During the protest, Ashoka cautioned that granting even a single house to individuals from Bangladesh at Kogilu Cross would set a troubling precedent. He emphasized that land belonging to Kannadigas must not be surrendered to Bangladeshi nationals under any circumstances.
Referencing government data, Ashoka stated that nearly 3.6 million impoverished individuals in Karnataka have applied for housing and residential plots.
"No homes have been allocated to them. When they approach the Housing Board, they are told to return the next day," he claimed.