Row over Congress Minister's son granted stage access at Vidhana Soudha RCB event
In the aftermath of the stampede in Bengaluru outside the venue of RCB's felicitation event which killed 11 people, the Karnataka BJP slammed the Congress government for alleged preferential treatment given to Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan's son Zaid.According to the BJP, sons of ministers were reportedly granted access to the stage and seen standing behind cricketer Virat Kohli, while members of the public were kept waiting outside. The state government organised an event inside the Vidhana Soudha premises, earlier on Wednesday, to honour the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team, where the general was not allowed.
advertisementThe presence of non-official individuals on the dais triggered criticism, with many questioning the preferential treatment accorded to relatives of ministers at a state function.
Among those visible in images from the Vidhana Soudha event was Zaid Khan, son of Minister for Housing, Wakf and Minority Welfare Zameer Ahmed Khan. Dressed in a white shirt, he was seen standing behind Kohli and alongside the rest of the cricket team during the felicitation ceremony. He is known to have acted in a Kannada film.
Vijay Prasad, BJP spokesperson, questioned the situation, asking, 'How did ministers' sons gain entry to the stage?'advertisementWhile ordinary citizens were denied access or made to wait, the appearance of ministers' family members on stage has prompted allegations of misuse of official platforms for personal visibility.At least 11 people died and nearly 50 were injured in a stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the second venue where the team was felicitated, in a separate event organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association on the same day.
IN THIS STORY#Bengaluru#Karnataka
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