Kalaburagi: Amidst the grief and calls for accountability following the tragic stampede in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives on June 4th, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has firmly dismissed demands for the resignations of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Kharge questioned the logic of demanding resignations after accidental tragedies, referencing the Kumbh Mela stampede earlier this year in Uttar Pradesh and asking whether Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had resigned following that incident.
Kharge expressed deep sorrow for the lives lost in Bengaluru and emphasized the need to prevent such incidents from happening again.
He confirmed that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had met with him and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, describing the meeting as a courtesy call.
Discussions centered on the stampede, the ongoing caste census, and other administrative matters. While acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Kharge defended the state government, pointing out that the incident was accidental.
He stated the party had subtly conveyed the message that the stampede should have been avoided and stressed the importance of supporting the victims’ families.
Kharge argued that demanding resignations in the wake of an unintentional event was unwarranted, particularly when contrasted with similar past incidents where no such action was taken.
He emphasized that the government had apologized and shared in the public’s pain, acknowledging the tragedy and the suffering of the families who lost loved ones.
The focus, he concluded, should be on learning from the incident and ensuring preventative measures are in place for future events.
