‘Bulldozer Raj’ allegation: Pinarayi Vijayan slams Bengaluru’s Kogilu Layout demolitions

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly criticised the demolition of homes in north Bengaluru’s Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout, calling it anti-minority politics and condemning the eviction drive that left hundreds of families homeless.

The eviction and demolition of homes belonging to Muslim families in north Bengaluru has sparked sharp political reactions, with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan describing the action as a reflection of “anti-minority politics” under the Congress-led Karnataka government.

Pinarayi Vijayan made the remarks on December 26 while condemning the removal of long-settled residents from Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout. He termed the operation an example of the “brutal normalisation of bulldozer raj” and expressed concern over the use of force against marginalised communities.

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Stating that such actions erode constitutional values, Pinarayi Vijayan said the politics of fear and coercion damages human dignity and urged secular and democratic forces to unite against such practices.

The comments follow a demolition drive carried out on December 20 by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) in the Yelahanka area. The operation targeted Waseem Layout and Faqir Colony, where officials claimed that houses had been built illegally on government land.

The bulldozing of Faqir Colony and Waseem Layout in Bengaluru, uprooting Muslim families who have lived there for years, exposes the brutal normalisation of “bulldozer raj”. Sadly, the Sangh Parivar’s anti-minority politics is now being executed under a Congress Government in…

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) December 26, 2025

As part of the drive, over 200 houses were demolished, rendering nearly 400 families homeless during one of the coldest weeks Bengaluru has experienced in recent years. Many displaced residents were forced to stay at the same site under temporary shelters.

Residents alleged that the eviction was carried out without prior notice and under heavy police presence. They claimed to have lived in the area for years and protested demanding justice, including staging a demonstration outside the residence of Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda.

BSWML Chief Executive Officer Karee Gowda maintained that the demolished structures were built on five acres of government land belonging to the civic body. He said the action was part of an encroachment clearance drive.

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Residents countered this by producing Aadhaar cards and electricity bills to show long-term residence, with several families claiming they had lived in the locality for decades.

Following Pinarayi Vijayan’s public criticism, a delegation of Kerala Rajya Sabha Members led by A.A. Rahim visited the affected areas. The delegation met displaced residents and gathered information on the eviction, further intensifying political attention on the issue.

The incident has now triggered a wider debate on eviction procedures, minority rights, and the use of demolition drives in urban governance.