Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader R. Ashoka has called for the immediate resignations of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in the wake of a tragic stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium, which resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals and left over 30 others injured.
Ashoka characterized the fatalities as “state-sponsored murders,” asserting that the chaos surrounding the incident stemmed from a power struggle between the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister. He expressed his concerns in a post on the social media platform X, stating, “There are suspicions that the ongoing rivalry between CM Siddaramaiah and DCM Shivakumar has escalated into a credit war, culminating in today’s disaster.”
He further criticized Shivakumar, who oversees Bengaluru as the Deputy Chief Minister, for failing to be present at the event to manage the situation. Instead, Ashoka claimed, Shivakumar was at the airport taking photographs.
The police reportedly did not confirm whether the parade would proceed until the last moment, raising questions about the preparedness for such a large gathering. “There are no emergency services, including ambulances and fire engines, stationed near a stadium that attracts millions of visitors,” Ashoka pointed out.
“Who is accountable for this tragedy? If CM Siddaramaiah and DCM D.K. Shivakumar possess any sense of humanity or conscience, they should recognize the lives lost due to their negligence and resign immediately,” he concluded.
