BJP plans large protest questioning government’s move to allot houses to evicted squatters
Bengaluru
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a large-scale protest at Freedom Park on January 5 against the state government’s decision to provide houses to those displaced in the Kogilu illegal house and hut eviction case. The protest will question what the party calls the government’s “hasty and unlawful” move to allot houses to squatters.
MLA S R Vishwanath, speaking to the media after a truth committee meeting, said the protest would highlight alleged irregularities in the government’s plan. He said BJP state president B Y Vijayendra has constituted a five-member committee to ascertain facts related to the eviction of illegal houses in Kogilu. The committee has already held its first meeting and will soon conduct a site inspection.
“We will collect complete details, including survey numbers and the background of those who were evicted, including which state or country they are from. A detailed report will be submitted to the state president within a week,” Vishwanath said. He questioned the government’s urgency, stating that it was not feasible or lawful to allot houses “overnight” to those who were evicted.
Pointing to existing housing delays, Vishwanath said that in his own constituency, houses under government schemes are still under construction and beneficiaries who paid ₹1 lakh six years ago are yet to receive allotments. Under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme, he noted, applicants must have an annual income below ₹3 lakh and provide a certificate proving five years of residence in Bengaluru, issued by the Revenue Department. “If officials issue such certificates in violation of rules, it will be illegal,” he warned.
He also cited a 14-storey housing project in Byappanahalli, where only 50 per cent of the houses sanctioned online have been allotted so far, while MLA-recommended quotas remain pending. “People waiting for over six years have not got houses. How can the government justify giving houses within a week to those who do not even meet eligibility norms?” he asked.
Vishwanath further questioned the legality of providing electricity connections on government land, arguing that criminal cases should have been filed against those who constructed illegal houses and officials who facilitated utilities. “If the government proceeds in haste, we will challenge the decision in court,” he said.
