BJP seeks NIA probe into Kogilu Layout encroachments, alleges ‘sleeper cell’ threat

Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday visited Fakeer Colony and parts of Waseem Layout in Kogilu Layout, where the Greater Bengaluru Authority(GBA) recently demolished houses allegedly built on government land.

The BJP alleged that the area was at risk of becoming a hub for sleeper cells, and demanded that the matter be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a detailed probe, including verification of the citizenship of those residing there.

Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok, along with other BJP leaders, interacted with residents in the locality and examined identity cards and other documents. According to a BJP release, Mr. Ashok questioned residents about how long they had been living in the area, who had brought them there and whether the sites had been formally allotted.

During one such interaction, a local woman reportedly told Mr. Ashok that her family had been living there for around 25 years. Disputing the claim, Mr. Ashok said there were no visible houses in satellite images from a year ago.

Addressing reporters later, Mr. Ashok criticised Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for not visiting areas where encroachments had been cleared. He insisted that citizenship verification of the residents should be the first step and reiterated the demand for an NIA investigation.

Fact-finding panel

Mr. Ashok further alleged discrepancies in official figures on the number of residents. “Initially, it was reported in the media that there were about 160 residents. Now officials say there are 280, and some even estimate the population could go up to 400. Satellite images from just one year ago show the area as entirely green. This suggests that these settlements have come up very recently,” he said. He also alleged that a rowdy-sheeter named Waseem had developed the layout in his own name and accused him of acting as a Congress agent.

The BJP also targeted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, alleging that the Congress government was attempting to regularise illegal settlements by promising housing. “Providing shelter without verifying eligibility will set a dangerous precedence,” Mr. Ashok said.

Meanwhile, BJP State president B. Y. Vijayendra has constituted a seven-member fact-finding committee to study the Kogilu Layout incident. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week, the party said in the statement.

Kogilu rehabilitation

On the other hand, the government maintained that due process was being followed. Housing Minister Mr. Khan said that following the eviction drive, the GBA and the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation were reviewing documents to identify eligible beneficiaries for alternative permanent housing. “The government’s intention is to provide houses only to those who are eligible. The Chief Minister has instructed officials to conduct a comprehensive document review without any haste,” he said.

He added that officials from the Revenue Department and the GBA were engaged in the verification process and that, in this context, the distribution of houses scheduled for January 1 had been postponed to January 2.

Home Minister rejects claim

Meanwhile, Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Wednesday dismissed the BJP’s allegation as a “political statement”. He said that the relief measures were being extended purely on humanitarian grounds and only after thorough verification of documents to establish eligibility, adding that the beneficiaries were local residents.

“Let the BJP protest if it wants, but it is wrong to casually claim that Bangladeshis are being accommodated. Don’t we verify documents? Houses are allotted only after proper checks. If any Bangladeshi nationals are found, will we give them houses? They will be arrested, informed to their Embassy and deported,” Dr. Parameshwara said in response to a question.