A heated debate erupted in the Karnataka Assembly on Friday as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar came under attack from the BJP over the June 4 stampede at the MA Chinnaswamy Stadium that left 11 people dead. Responding to opposition demands that he resign, Siddaramaiah said tragedies of this nature have occurred in many parts of India and the world. “Did Yogi Adityanath resign after the Kumbh Mela stampede in Prayagraj, in which 39 people died?" "Stampedes have taken place globally for many years. In the last 10 years alone, 20 stampedes have occurred in BJP-ruled states,” he said, as reported ANI.
'Mass Hysteria Triggered Bengaluru Stampede': Siddaramaiah
Siddaramaiah also pointed out that the mass hysteria in Bengaluru was triggered by the city’s emotional attachment to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory. “People saw RCB’s win as Bengaluru’s pride, which led to an uncontrollable rush,” Siddaramaiah told the House, while expressing regret over the loss of lives.
"In my 42 years of political life, never such an incident took place. I had never seen 11 people dying in a stampede. I am pained. I expressed my sorrow the same day. We sometimes have to bow to the people’s expectations in democracy. That’s the sign of democracy," the Chief Minister said, as per a report on PTI.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar also hit back at the BJP, accusing the opposition of exploiting the tragedy for political mileage. Both leaders assured the Assembly that steps were being taken to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
The BJP, however, maintained its demand for accountability, insisting that the government’s failure to manage the crowd directly contributed to the deaths.
ALSO READ: DMK Hits Back At Vijay: ‘He Isn’t Reading Papers Or Watching Our Speeches Against BJP’