Bengaluru stampede: HD Kumaraswamy slams Karnataka government over premature nod for RCB celebrations

Time of India

8 hours ago

Bengaluru: Union minister and JD(S) chief
HD Kumaraswamy
Saturday alleged that the Karnataka govt had "pre-planned" the RCB IPL victory celebrations and official permissions were granted hours before the final match had even begun.
He said this raised serious concerns over political and bureaucratic accountability on the stampede.
"The FIR on the stampede incident says permission was sought for the June 4 victory celebrations at the stadium even before the match started on June 3 (at Ahmedabad). The final started at 7.30pm (on June 3), but an application was submitted at 6pm for next day's celebrations ... did they dream about winning the match? Another application was submitted to the department of personnel and administrative reforms (DPAR) for the celebrations in front of Vidhana Soudha.
.. who was behind it? Who put pressure on the police commissioner at 7.30am that day (June 4) for permission?" Kumaraswamy asked.
He demanded that chief minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar, and home minister G Parameshwara take moral and administrative responsibility. "What was the need to felicitate the team within 24 hours of the team's victory? Was such a slipshod felicitation needed?" he asked.
Echoing the criticism, Union minister and BJP's Bangalore North MP Shobha Karandlaje called the felicitation a misuse of govt space.
"The grand stairs of Vidhana Soudha have been reserved for swearing-in or govt ceremonies all these years. You (Congress govt) used it for a private team (RCB)," she said.
Holding the CM and DCM directly responsible, she said: "Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar have blood on their hands. They are trying to wash the blood and wipe it on police officers. Where are Congress general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, who often come to the state for everything, hiding?"
CMO counters, says permission was given only for Soudha venue
The chief minister's office (CMO) Saturday said official permission for RCB victory celebrations was granted only for the Vidhana Soudha venue on June 4 and not before the IPL final.
Responding to Kumaraswamy's allegations that the govt had "pre-planned" the event even before RCB's final match on June 3, the CMO said the request letter was received by the undersecretary, DPAR (executive).
"Permission for celebrations was formally accorded only for the Vidhana Soudha venue and not for the cricket stadium, after getting the report from Vidhana Soudha DCP on June 4." the CMO said.