Kerala Chief Minister Condemns Telangana House Demolitions as 'Bulldozer Raj'
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed serious concern over what he describes as the spread of "bulldozer raj" to Telangana, following similar incidents in Karnataka. The veteran leader alleged that the demolition of houses in Khammam district reflects an inhumane approach by the Congress government currently in power in the southern state.
Massive Demolition Operation in Khammam District
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, Vijayan revealed that approximately 700 houses constructed on Bhoodan land at Velugumatla village in Khammam district were demolished with police support during the early hours of February 25. According to the Kerala CM, this action was allegedly carried out without providing any prior notice to the residents.
The demolition has reportedly rendered nearly 3,000 residents homeless, all of whom possessed proper identification documents. Vijayan emphasized that these houses at Vinoba Nagar were originally allocated to landless families during the historic Bhoodan movement led by social reformer Vinoba Bhave.
"It is surprising that the Congress government in Telangana cannot accept even the limited objectives of the Bhoodan movement," Vijayan stated, highlighting what he sees as a contradiction between the party's professed values and its actions.
Drawing Parallels with Karnataka and Kerala's Approach
The Kerala chief minister also referenced similar demolition incidents in Yelahanka, Karnataka, noting that victims there continue to live on the streets without proper rehabilitation. He questioned how the Congress party could lead and implement what he termed "inhumane actions" against vulnerable populations.
Vijayan specifically called upon the Congress leadership in Kerala, which claims to uphold Left credentials, to respond to these developments. He further accused the Congress of saturating media space in Kerala with large-scale advertisements from the Telangana government, suggesting an attempt to influence public perception.
Drawing a sharp contrast with Kerala's approach, Vijayan highlighted how his state has established a new model of rehabilitation and reconstruction by providing new homes to those who lost everything in major disasters. "At a time when Kerala is granting land titles to those without pattayam and converting them into landowners, the Telangana government is portraying even those with pattayam as fake title holders and evicting them," he asserted.
Broader Political Allegations and Historical Context
The Kerala CM made broader political allegations, claiming that Congress governments are proving to be replicas of certain BJP governments in north India in their approach to evictions. He described such actions as representing a politics of displacement and harassment specifically targeting ordinary citizens.
Referring again to both the Yelahanka and Khammam incidents, Vijayan stated these events serve as examples of how the Congress treats common people wherever it comes to power. He also recalled that in Kerala, the Congress had promised to build hundreds of houses for those who lost everything in the Mundakkai–Chooralmala disaster but later failed to fulfill that commitment.
"This is another reflection of the party's approach towards the public," Vijayan concluded, suggesting a pattern of behavior that contradicts the welfare principles often associated with the Congress party's political rhetoric.
