Karnataka BJP is doing politics over stampede case, says Dy CM Shivakumar 

Bengaluru, June 17 (IANS) Commenting on the Karnataka BJP unit staging a protest on Tuesday to condemn the June 4 stampede incident, which claimed 11 lives in Bengaluru, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said the party was "carrying out politics over dead bodies". 

Speaking to the media after participating in the 'Parisara Nadige (March for Environment)' event, organised jointly by the Forest Department and the Karnataka Pollution Control Board in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said, "The BJP is doing politics over dead bodies. Shall I give the list of dead bodies from their time? What all had happened then?"

"At no point does the Congress party want to carry out politics over dead bodies. It is a natural disaster, and we condemn it. Let them do it, because their political base has been destroyed, and they want to show their presence, hence they are protesting," said the Dy CM.

"Apart from this, there is nothing. No common person or social activist will cooperate with them. Everyone knows. The government has ensured that action is taken against those who are guilty. We have also appointed a One-Man Commission; if the BJP has anything to convey, let them convey it to the commission," he stated.

Shivakumar questioned, "The BJP has been carrying out politics over dead bodies right from the beginning. There have been many stampede tragedies that have occurred in the country. I had been to the Ahmedabad plane crash site; did I say anything there? Did I blame the Central government for the incident? What about stampedes that were reported from railway stations and temples in Uttar Pradesh and North India?"

"Hundreds of people have died in religious events; who is responsible for all this? I have stated this: If you are stronger, there will be more enemies; if you are less strong, you will have fewer enemies. If you are not strong at all, there won't be any enemies," he stated while answering a question.

"They fear us and are doing anything, and you will see us regaining power in Karnataka in 2028," said Shivkumar. When asked whether he would take the oath as the CM, he said the "Congress government would come to power".

Talking about the environmental event, Shivakumar stated, "The Forest Department and the Pollution Control Board organised this event on the occasion of World Environment Day. While it was celebrated on June 5, the event is organised today. This year's message is to ban plastic. The programme is being held to conserve water and the environment. More than 5,000 children participated in the event. They marched around the Vidhana Soudha building and gave a message to the public."

"I have already sent a message to start climate clubs in all schools. There should be awareness created to conserve the environment, and every student must adopt a tree. Already, 50,000 students have enrolled in the tree adoption programme. The green cover should be protected; if there is no green cover, we won't survive," Shivakumar stated.

Shivakumar held a placard, rode a bicycle, and also participated in the march with schoolchildren. Minister for Forest Eshwar Khandre, Congress MLA, and the Chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, P. M. Narendraswamy, also participated in the event.