Kerala chief minister condemns demolition of Muslim homes in India’s Karnataka

On December 26, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the reported demolition of Muslim residential areas in India’s Karnataka capital, calling the action “shocking and painful.”

In a Facebook post, Vijayan referred to the reported bulldozing of Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout, where Muslim families had been living for many years.

He said the incident reflected a form of minority-targeting politics seen earlier in North India and warned that such practices were now spreading to the South.

The chief minister alleged that entire families were forced out of their homes in harsh winter conditions and pushed onto the streets, leaving them with no choice but to flee.

Vijayan expressed surprise that what he described as “bulldozer justice” was carried out under a Congress-led government in Karnataka.

He questioned how such forced evictions could be justified by a party that claims to stand for social justice.

He added that governments should take responsibility for protecting the poor, ensuring housing, and preventing people from being driven out of their homes through the use of force.

According to media reports, a demolition drive in Kogilu village at Yelahanka last week pulled down more than 400 houses in Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony, rendering over 3,000 people homeless. Most of those who lost their homes were Muslim fakirs who earned a living by begging or having their children perform on the streets.

In late December 2025, authorities in Bengaluru, Karnataka, carried out a large demolition drive in the Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony areas, pulling down over 200 houses in predominantly Muslim residential settlements to clear land for a proposed waste‑processing facility.

The operation, conducted by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited, has reportedly left hundreds of Muslim families homeless, prompting protests and political criticism. Residents allege they received little or no prior notice before the early‑morning demolitions, and that many had lived there for decades.

By Aghakazim Guliyev