BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday lashed out at Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for interfering in evictions in an encroached land in Bengaluru.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the DyCM said it is unfortunate that senior leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan has commented on this without knowing the facts of the matter. “The land which was cleared of encroachment was a solid waste pit. There are many health-related issues in the area due to this. We also have humanity, and we have given them an opportunity to move to other areas,” he said.

Shivakumar said leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan should not interfere in such matters. “Land mafia sets up slums in order to encroach upon the land at a later stage. We won’t let that happen. We are willing to give houses under the Rajiv Gandhi scheme if there are eligible people,” he said, responding to Kerala CM’s remarks that the Karnataka government was involved in ‘Bulldozer Raj’ in Bengaluru.

The DyCM stated that they are only protecting government land in the middle of the city and will send a message regarding this to Congress party leaders in Kerala. “We don’t have Bulldozer culture, I appeal to Pinarayi Vijayan not to talk like that,” he said.

Responding to protests by some people, he said they are all politically motivated statements and protests. “He should not comment on matters of our state without knowing the facts. This is a political gimmick in view of the upcoming Kerala elections,” the DyCM said.