Should Action Be Taken Against Siddaramaiah Over Stampede Tragedy?

Bengaluru, June 7 (NationPress) Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has called on the Congress leadership to take decisive action against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in light of the tragic Chinnaswamy stampede incident that resulted in the loss of 11 lives. During a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Bengaluru, the Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment stated, "If the High Command has any influence, I challenge the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, are you out of options? Are there no other leaders in Karnataka apart from CM Siddaramaiah and Dy CM Shivakumar?"

"You should appoint other leaders and ensure an investigation. You often discuss the nation on international platforms; do you not have the ability to hold your own leaders accountable when they are found at fault?" she added.

The Minister criticized the Congress leadership for their silence, stating that "Karnataka is merely an ATM for them."

Responding to Congress' assertion that the stampede was an accident, she questioned, "If it was truly an accident, why did you not open all the gates of the Chinnaswamy Stadium? There was no crowd control in place. Why are you shielding the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials? What is your connection with them? What was the urgency for the KSCA to honor RCB? What ties do you have with RCB, a private franchise?"

In her remarks directed at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, she asserted, "You have blood on your hands, and there is no escaping the responsibility. This tragedy stemmed from a desire for attention. Who knows, perhaps someone from the state Congress will end up owning an IPL franchise. Anything is possible in the state."

"Families have lost their children in this stampede. A young man pursuing an M.Tech in my constituency has died. His family is so devastated that they chose not to bring his body back to Bengaluru but took it to their native place, expressing a desire for privacy in their grief," she shared.

"You have made a grave error and are shifting the blame to law enforcement. I ask CM and Dy CM, why celebrate this? We understand honoring Olympic champions or national teams, but why a private franchise like RCB?" she questioned.

"You publicize these events and personally welcome them at the airport. The grand steps of Vidhana Soudha are reserved for swearing-in ceremonies. Yet, you bring in a private team. The PWD Department stated that seating arrangements should accommodate only 25 to 30 people, but it seems your family, children, and grandchildren numbered 300 to 350," she criticized.

"People stood precariously on the terrace of the High Court; individuals were seen sitting unsteadily atop trees. How did you grant permission for this?" she demanded.