Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday strongly criticised the reported demolition of Muslim residential areas in Karnataka's 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 200 houses in Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony.

The operation was reportedly carried out by Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited. Reports said the houses were removed to clear what were described as encroachments on land marked for a proposed waste processing unit.