Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Defends RCB Felicitation at Vidhana Soudha, Distances Himself from Stampede Tragedy
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended the state government’s decision to proceed with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebration held in front of the Vidhana Soudha, asserting that no untoward incident occurred at that venue.
His statement follows public outrage over a tragic stampede that occurred later the same day outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, which left 11 people dead and 56 injured.
The Chief Minister’s remarks came in response to a letter written by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Vidhana Soudha Security), which has recently surfaced.
The letter, dated June 4, had warned the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) about the risks of hastily organizing a felicitation event for the RCB team on the grand steps of the Vidhana Soudha.
The DCP raised concerns about the lack of adequate security personnel to manage a large gathering, citing the team’s massive fan following.
He emphasized that proper planning and inter-departmental coordination, including law and order and traffic management, were essential for such a high-profile event.
The letter also recommended installing additional CCTV cameras, deploying anti-drone systems, and suspending the issuance of visitor passes to the Vidhana Soudha.
Additionally, it called for a PWD no-objection certificate and technical checks for the event infrastructure.
Despite these warnings, the felicitation event proceeded. CM Siddaramaiah, responding to media queries in Mysuru, clarified that the event was organized by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and not the government.
“I was invited to the event by the KSCA Secretary and Treasurer. They informed me that the Governor would also be present. So, I attended as an invitee. The state government did not organize the function,” he said.
He further noted that the event was cleared by the DPAR Secretary and that he simply gave consent based on the inputs provided. “The police had also agreed. There was no incident at the Vidhana Soudha. The tragedy occurred later at the stadium,” he added.
The Chief Minister also sought to distance himself from the stampede incident, stating, “I have no connection with the cricket stadium. The unfortunate incident should not have happened. It has pained all of us, including me.” He emphasized that he was unaware of the casualties until 5:45 PM, although the first death was reported around 3:50 PM.
Asked whether DPAR Secretary Sathyavathi would face disciplinary action like the five police officers, including then Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, the CM defended her, saying, “What has she done wrong? What happened at the Vidhana Soudha? Nothing.”
He reiterated that action had been taken against officials found prima facie at fault, including the removal of the Intelligence Chief, five police officers, and even his political secretary, K. Govindaraj.
Responding to criticism from the BJP, which has demanded his resignation over the incident, Siddaramaiah called the allegations “politically motivated.” “What is the Chief Minister’s fault? The BJP is making baseless accusations. The government has acted wherever there were lapses,” he said.
On the issue of whether the stampede has embarrassed the government, the CM remarked, “There is no embarrassment when the government has done nothing wrong.
Have resignations been sought in past stampedes like the one during the Kumbh Mela, where dozens were killed?”
When asked whether the government is considering shifting the stadium out of central Bengaluru to avoid similar future mishaps, Siddaramaiah confirmed the idea was under consideration. “We will explore it. A suitable location needs to be identified,” he stated.
As public outrage continues and investigations unfold, the Karnataka government finds itself navigating the delicate balance between accountability, damage control, and public assurance in the aftermath of a celebration that ended in tragedy.
