Siddaramaiah Says He Learned of Stampede Deaths Late; BJP Blames Congress Govt, Demands Resignations
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he only became aware of the tragic stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium—which killed 11 people and injured over 50—at 5:45 pm on June 4, hours after the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held their IPL victory parade.
Speaking to the media, Siddaramaiah clarified, “I found out about the deaths at 5:45 pm. Though reports from the hospital came in by 3:50 pm, I wasn’t informed until later. I’ve taken action against those responsible.”
His statement indicated that he was unaware of the fatalities until after celebrations at Vidhana Soudha concluded. The chief minister did not attend the main event at Chinnaswamy Stadium, which began around 6:10 pm and was attended by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
A day earlier, a letter from Vidhana Soudha’s security officer MN Kariasavana had flagged security concerns about holding such a large gathering at the state assembly. He noted that arranging proper security would be difficult due to a shortage of personnel.
Distancing himself from the organisational aspects of the event, Siddaramaiah insisted it was arranged by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), not the government. “The incident happened near the stadium. I had no role in that. I went only after I was invited by the cricket association,” he said. He also denied involvement in any planning meetings and claimed that no top government officials, including the home minister, were directly involved in organising the event.
When asked whether he would take moral responsibility, Siddaramaiah deflected, pointing to past tragedies where resignations weren’t demanded. “When a bridge collapsed, did anyone ask for resignations? During the Kumbh Mela, 58 people died—did the BJP or Kumaraswamy ask the Prime Minister to step down?” he questioned.
However, the BJP ramped up its attack on the Congress government, accusing it of gross negligence. Senior leaders including Leader of Opposition R Ashok and MLA Prabhu Bhamla Chavan staged a protest on the steps of Vidhana Soudha, demanding the immediate resignations of the chief minister, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, and home minister G Parameshwara.
“All three are responsible for this tragedy. This isn’t just an accident—this is a result of their carelessness. They must resign,” said Chavan. He accused the government of using suspended police officers as scapegoats to protect ministers. “Don’t just give compensation. Take moral responsibility and step down.”
Ashok criticised the government for rushing into the celebrations without proper safety measures. “This is not a government—it’s a Tughlaq Durbar,” he said. “The event started even after seven or eight people had already died. Then they went ahead and burst fireworks worth ₹1 crore. After 11 deaths, they still celebrated. Do they even have any humanity?”
He further demanded ₹1 crore in compensation for each of the deceased and called the tragedy a “government-sponsored murder.” He also strongly opposed the suspension of senior police officials, including then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, saying the police had denied permission for the victory parade in the first place. “We stand with the police. They’re not at fault—we will fight for them,” Ashok added.
The BJP also plans to meet Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to demand action against the government. Ashok didn’t hold back from taking a political jab, referring to CM Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar as the “Real Culprits of Bengaluru”—a pun on the RCB acronym, which originally stood for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. “Earlier, Vijay Mallya promoted RCB. Now, it’s the chief minister and deputy chief minister who are the new RCB,” he said.