'This is not what the people of Bengaluru deserved': Tejasvi Surya slams K'taka govt for stampede

Bengaluru, July 4 (IANS) Coming down heavily on the Congress-led Karnataka government over the stampede tragedy during the victory celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team for lifting the IPL 2025 trophy, BJP MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha president Tejasvi Surya said "this is not what the people of Bengaluru deserved". 

Taking to social media, Tejasvi Surya said on Wednesday: “Absolutely gutted by the tragic reports coming in from the Chinnaswamy. What should have been a celebration of joy and loyalty turned out to be so fatal.”

While the state government and leadership were busy hogging their undeserving share of limelight in the RCB's victory with the CM himself making an open invitation for the celebration, no arrangements were made on the ground, Surya said.

Despite being aware of the situation from last night, the government failed to plan this out and took bizarre last minute decisions, he criticised.

“Steps must be taken immediately to compensate the victims and hold the concerned accountable,” he demanded.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP unit has lashed out at the Congress-led government in Karnataka for the tragedy.

Taking to social media X, the party stated, “No crowd control measures. No basic arrangements. Just chaos. While innocent people died, CM Siddaramaiah and Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar were busy shooting reels and hogging limelight with cricketers. Shame on this photo-op Congress government."

“This is criminal negligence. Blood is on the hands of Congress government,” the party stated.

The celebrations for the first-ever IPL victory of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) turned tragic on Wednesday with over 30 fans injured and falling sick, and 11 feared killed following a stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium here. The incident occurred while fans were attending the celebration event for the RCB team lifting the IPL 2025 trophy.

The stampede took place when thousands of fans attempted to enter the stadium in a hurry from various gates. Police at the scene transported the injured to ambulances and shifted them to the nearby Bowring Hospital.

Police stated that the ambulances were unable to move quickly to the hospital due to the overcrowding on the roads.