Bengaluru Stampede: Siddaramaiah blames state cricket board, says ‘Only went there after being invited’

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah on Saturday said that the state government did not organise the RCB event that killed 11 people in a stampede, as he continues to face a barrage of criticism following the deadly event last week.

The CM alleged that the secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association invited him, and the government was not the one that organise the function.

“The secretary and treasurer of KSCA (Karnataka State Cricket Association) came and invited me to the event. We didn't organise the function, the KSCA did,” Siddaramaiah said, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Saturday.

He said that the state cricket association informed him that the Governor will also be present in the RCB event, denying any involvement in organising the event.

“They also informed me that the Governor is also coming, I only went there. I don't know anything apart from that I only went there after I was invited, they didn't invite me to the stadium,” he said.

The Karnataka CM further claimed that the police did not give comprehensive information about the security arrangement.

“The police department did not give comprehensive information about the police security arrangements at the venue.”

Blaming the BJP and JDS for making ‘politically motivated statements’, Siddaramaiah said that he was not informed about the stampede for almost two hours after the incident occurred.

“Though the injured were admitted to the hospital at 3.50 pm, I got information at 5.45 pm that there was a stampede near the stadium and people died,” he said.

“The stampede should not have happened. It is very sad,” the CM said.

Siddaramaiah defends self Earlier on June 6, Siddaramaiah defended himself and accused the BJP of politicising the the deadly stampede at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives.

The CM said that the government has taken action against those who were responsible, adding that he doesn't “do politics”.

“They (BJP) are doing it for politics. I don't do politics. We have taken action against those who were visibly responsible and found to be negligent in their duty,” Siddaramaiah said.

Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra had accused the state government of only acting when pressure was put on them.

“The state government has acted only after coming under pressure... Action has been taken against RCB and the Karnataka Cricket Association. Yesterday, the Chief Minister suddenly suspended senior police officers, including the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, and five other officials,” Vijayendra said.

Also Read | BCCI mulls deterrent measures after Bengaluru stampede leaves 11 dead

Following the death of 11 people in the stampede at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, the Karnataka police have suspended multiple IPS officers, including the Bengaluru city police Commissioner, B Dayananda.

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