BJP wants NIA to verify Kogilu evictees’ citizenship, accuses Karnataka Govt of creating ‘mini-Bangladesh’

“Fakir Layout in Kogilu Cross is gradually at risk of becoming a center for sleeper cells. Therefore, the Government should verify the citizenship of the illegal residents. It should be handed over to the NIA for investigation,” the BJP MLA said.

Ashoka said that encroachments of 150-200 acres were cleared at 40 places in Bengaluru. “Is it possible to build houses for all of them? Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has not visited other places where encroachments were cleared,” he said, alleging that the Congress had sympathy only for minorities.

Most of the houses demolished during the eviction drive at Kogilu Cross reportedly belonged to Muslims.

The citizenship of the people who were residing at Kogilu Cross should be verified first, Ashoka said, demanding that the state have the NIA investigate the matter.

“The Government led by CM Siddaramaiah has cheated Kannadigas and created a mini-Bangladesh in various parts of Karnataka,” he alleged.

Earlier in the day, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra announced a seven-member committee led by Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath to “bring out the truth” behind the eviction drive at Fakir Colony and Wasim Layout, near Kogilu Cross.

Meanwhile, the Government, which had announced that the Kogilu evictees who own no land or house elsewhere would be given homes under a housing scheme on January 1, 2026, postponed the handover by a day.

Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan said the chief minister had instructed officials of the revenue department and the Greater Bengaluru Authority to conduct a comprehensive document review “without any haste”.

“In this context, the distribution of houses that was scheduled for January 1 has been postponed to January 2,” he said in a statement, adding that “the Government’s intention in this matter is to provide housing only to the eligible ones”.