We are not ready to gift anything to encroachers: Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Stating that encroachments were not acceptable, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said there was no question gifting anything to the encroachers.

Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, he said, “There is no appeasement politics. We will take action against those who facilitated the encroachment. The evictees have given statements that some people collected money and allowed them to set up their sheds there. We will give housing through Pradhan Mantri Awas scheme to the eligible evictees on humanitarian ground.”

“They have said that land rights were issued sometime back and I have asked officials to review these claims. Some outsiders have also encroached the land more recently. We will check the original settlers and rehabilitate them,” he said. Asked about Pakistan’s External Affairs Minister’s comments on Kogilu encroachments, the DCM said, “Senior national leaders will respond to this.” Asked about evictees having ID cards from two states, he said the officials would investigate that.

Asked if all evictees would be given accommodation, he said, “We will rehabilitate only the genuine eligible evictees. We are not regularizing it but will provide housing only to eligible locals.”