Bengaluru Stampede: CM Siddaramaiah rejects calls for resignation, says ‘we didn’t organise event’

The Karnataka government has distanced itself from a the recent Bengaluru stampede — with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah rejecting calls for his resignation on Sunday. The senior Congress leader also insisted that he “didn’t have any connection with the cricket stadium” while expressing sadness about the incident.

“The secretary and treasurer of Karnataka State Cricket Association came and invited me to the event. We didn’t organise the function…the KSCA did. They also informed me that the Governor is also coming, I only went there. I don’t know anything apart from that I only went there after I was invited, they didn’t invite me to the stadium,” reports quoted him as saying.

Eleven people were killed and 56 others were injured on Wednesday as the Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrated their maiden IPL victory in the city. The stampede occurred in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium as nearly 3 lakh people rushed to join the celebrations. The state government has since launched a magisterial inquiry into the matter and suspended several officials including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner.

Meanwhile Opposition leaders have been clamouring for the Chief Minister and his deputy to take responsibility for the tragedy and tender their resignations. Both the BJP and JD(S) have also accused the state government of negligence. Siddaramaiah however noted that the stampede had occurred at an event he was “not even invited to” and questioned the opposition’s “sudden concern for police accountability.” He said that he was informed of the incident nearly two hours after the stampede and blamed the City Police Commissioner for the delay.

“It was not a government programme at Chinnaswamy Stadium, and I was not even invited for this. BJP and JDS are making politically motivated statements. Although the injured were admitted to the hospital at 3.50 pm, I received information at 5.45 pm that a stampede had broken out near the stadium and people had died. The stampede incident should not have happened. It is very sad,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)