Mangaluru City North MLA Y Bharath Shetty has launched a sharp attack on the state government, demanding a comprehensive investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the controversial developments at Kogilu Layout. The BJP legislator raised serious allegations of a larger conspiracy and questioned the rationale behind relocating displaced families.
Allegations of Conspiracy and Unverified Relocation
Speaking on Wednesday, Shetty expressed strong disapproval of the government's decision to move the evicted families to Baiyyappanahalli, a location approximately 7 kilometers from the original demolition site. He criticized the authorities for not verifying the identities and credentials of those being relocated before offering them alternative housing. The MLA was particularly scathing about the administration terming this a "one-time measure," suggesting it was an attempt to sidestep deeper scrutiny.
Shetty did not mince words in hinting at the potential involvement of Housing Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan in the entire episode. He revealed that his party is actively exploring legal options to challenge the government's actions, framing the move as politically motivated. The legislator directly linked the decision to pressure from AICC general secretary KC Venugopal.
Questioning Priorities and Raising the Migrant Issue
The BJP MLA posed a poignant question about the government's housing priorities. "In the last two-and-a-half years, the govt did not provide even a single house to the poor of the state. When such is the condition of our own people, what is the justification for building houses for those whose identities are yet to be established?" he asked. Shetty contrasted this initiative with the government's alleged failure to provide homes for those who lost their dwellings due to natural disasters.
In a significant escalation of his allegations, Shetty referenced Google imagery from before 2023 to claim that illegal migrants may have been brought and settled in the Kogilu Layout area after the Congress party assumed power in Karnataka. "There is a major conspiracy behind this, and it must be investigated," he asserted, demanding the SIT probe.
Double Standards and Policy Suggestions
Shetty further challenged the government's consistency by questioning whether similar housing concessions would be offered if land belonging to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, or the Housing Minister himself was encroached upon. He accused the government of indulging in vote-bank politics through such measures, warning that the public would not forgive this injustice.
On the broader issue of regulating migration, the MLA commented on the possibility of implementing an inner line permit system in Karnataka. He stated that while the issue merits examination, the state must first undertake a crucial step: collecting comprehensive data on people who do not own land or houses. Only with this data, he stressed, can a suitable and fair policy be formulated.
The demands for an SIT probe have added a new layer of political tension to the Kogilu Layout issue, setting the stage for a potential confrontation between the ruling party and the opposition.
