BJP, JD(S) say image building war between K'taka CM, Dy CM resulted in stampede

Bengaluru, June 6 (IANS) Karnataka BJP and JD(S) on Friday claimed that the image war between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar resulted in the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 

Squarely blaming them for the incident, both parties have demanded their resignations.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, and BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra addressed a joint press conference in Bengaluru on Friday in this regard.

Union Minister Kumaraswamy stated that the stampede incident did not occur due to the negligence of police officers.

He alleged that the government organised the victory celebration programme despite police refusal, solely to boost their image.

"My demand is that this government in Karnataka should go. These two great leaders, CM Siddaramaiah and Dy CM Shivakumar, should be made to pay for the stampede tragedy," Kumaraswamy stated.

Kumaraswamy alleged that the government had taken an arrogant stand, rubbishing suggestions by the police department to the contrary, and is directly responsible for the tragedy.

"To hide its blunders, the state government has suspended five police officers. The suspended former Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda has managed New Year celebrations in the city, where a much larger crowd had gathered, and did not allow a single untoward incident," Kumaraswamy stated.

He claimed, "Dy CM Shivakumar was unaware of the organisation of felicitation of RCB players by the government and was attending court in Kanakapura town. After getting to know about the arrangements to felicitate the RCB players at the Vidhana Soudha grand steps, Dy CM Shivakumar, with his camp, rushed to HAL airport to receive players and hog the limelight before CM Siddaramaiah."

"It is evident how these two conducted themselves just for their prestige, and amidst their image-building exercises, 11 people have lost their lives," Kumaraswamy alleged.

He also noted that the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) had made official communication regarding the felicitation event held on the grand steps of the Vidhana Soudha.

Talking about how the event unfolded on the tragic day, Kumaraswamy claimed, "One of the CM’s close aides had called former Bengaluru Commissioner Dayananda and pressured him to permit the victory celebrations. The officer had clearly told him that if two celebration events were held, there would be a security problem as the police were fatigued by controlling crowds throughout the night. He had then gone to the CM, who called officer Dayananda. Siddaramaiah orally told Dayananda that as the CM, he was giving orders to carry out instructions and allow two events."

"The police had deputed officers and much of the police force at Vidhana Soudha, while three platoons, each containing 25 cops attached to the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), were deployed at the Stadium. CM Siddaramaiah outrightly rejected felicitating the RCB players at the stadium," Kumaraswamy further added.

BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra, addressing the media, demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah be made the first accused in the stampede case, Dy CM Shivakumar the second, and Home Minister G. Parameshwara the third accused.

"The government is now claiming that permission was not given to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for organising the victory celebrations at the stadium. But who gave permission for the state government to hold the felicitation event at Vidhana Soudha? When the celebration programme at the stadium was unauthorised, why did the Dy CM Shivakumar go to the stadium and kiss the trophy?" Vijayendra questioned.

He stated that instead of sacrificing police officers, the CM and Dy CM must take responsibility and tender their resignations.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka stated that the state government ignored the floods in Bengaluru following heavy rains and completely focussed on organizing a party event in Kalaburagi recently for weeks. He emphasized that they did not even spare one hour for preparations and planning for the RCB team's victory celebration. If they had, 11 lives would have been saved.

"There is no fault of the Virat Kohli’s RCB team in this. After being reprimanded by the High Court, action against police officers was initiated to escape the court's wrath. This is the first time in history that a Police Commissioner has been suspended," Ashoka stated.

Ashoka questioned, "The government says permission was not given for the celebration event at Chinnaswamy Stadium. What prevented it from clamping prohibitory orders? If we take up a protest with permission, the government sends police force immediately to detain us. Why was action not taken here?"