BJP Slams Karnataka Government After Deadly Stadium Stampede

On Sunday, prominent leaders of the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a demonstration at the Vidhana Soudha steps, expressing discontent with the state Congress government's handling of a stampede that occurred outside Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tragic incident, happening amid RCB's IPL victory celebrations, resulted in the loss of 11 lives.

Leading the charge, Arvind Bellad, Deputy Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA, accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar of neglect. Bellad alleged that their focus was on taking selfies with RCB players rather than ensuring crowd safety. He stated, "The chief minister and his deputy are to blame as the police prioritized their security over managing the crowd, leading to the tragedy."

Furthering the critique, BJP leader CT Ravi questioned the accountability, noting that speaking out against the deaths is not mere politics. He insisted, "The CM and Deputy CM are accountable for these deaths, as their political concerns overshadowed public safety. Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah announced increased compensation for the victims' families, raising it to Rs 25 lakh each from the initially declared Rs 10 lakh."

(With inputs from agencies.)