Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended his government over the recent stampede during the RCB victory celebrations in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives, stating that the incident was not a government-organised event and lapses in police arrangements led to the tragedy. He confirmed that five police officers have been suspended, and key officials, including the state intelligence chief and his own political secretary, have been replaced.
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Siddaramaiah clarifies on suspensions
Addressing reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said the government had acted swiftly based on initial findings and was taking the incident very seriously. He stressed that conditional permission was granted only for the event at Vidhana Soudha, while the stampede occurred outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where police failed to manage the crowd effectively.
“The police should have ensured adequate security, but due to clear lapses, disciplinary action has been taken. The officers responsible have been suspended,” he said. He added that the police department had not given a detailed briefing about the arrangements at the stadium, which was not part of any official government programme.
Siddaramaiah also hit out at the opposition BJP and JD(S), accusing them of politicising a tragedy for their own gain. “They are making politically motivated statements. Despite the injured being admitted to hospital by 3:50 PM, I only received information about the stampede and deaths at 5:45 PM,” he clarified, while expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives.
In response to criticism from BJP over the government’s denial of permission for an open-bus parade for the RCB team, the Chief Minister said the opposition was exhibiting double standards. “When RCB made history, BJP claimed the denial of parade permission was a failure of the Home Minister. Now they are blaming the government for the stampede. This shows their hypocrisy,” he said.
Siddaramaiah further pointed out that incidents like these should never happen under any administration and hinted at a possible relocation of the cricket stadium to a safer, more manageable location.
Refusing to accept blame for the tragedy, the Chief Minister maintained that the government had taken every possible corrective measure. “We have not taken any wrong steps. Legal action has been initiated against the guilty. There is no question of embarrassment for the government,” he said.
He also drew comparisons to similar tragedies elsewhere, questioning whether BJP ever demanded accountability from its own leaders. “Did the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister resign when people died in the Kumbh Mela bridge collapse? Did BJP or JD(S) raise their voice then?” he asked.
Siddaramaiah concluded by stating that while the government bore no direct responsibility for the stampede, the loss of lives had brought him and his administration deep anguish.