Did any BJP leader quit over Air India crash: Siddaramaiah on Bengaluru stampede
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed the state Assembly on Friday regarding the tragic stampede that occurred outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, which resulted in the loss of 11 lives. Expressing his deep distress over the incident, Siddaramaiah defended his government amid calls for his resignation from the BJP.
Defending his government against BJP’s demand for his resignation, he drew comparisons with other national tragedies. “In the Air India crash, did anyone from the NDA or BJP resign? Were those not people who died? Then why is the BJP asking for our resignation over this stampede,” India Today quoted Siddaramaiah as saying.
Siddaramaiah expressed deep sadness over the stampede incident, acknowledging that he should have apologised for the tragedy. He noted that the pain of the parents of the victims still troubled him, and he remained disturbed by the loss of lives. He shared that he had received information about the incident at 5:30 pm on the day it occurred.
Responding to criticism from the BJP, Siddaramaiah admitted he had gone to a hotel with his grandson on the day of the incident. “My grandson had come from London and I had brought him for the Vidhana Soudha RCB event. He said, ‘Let’s eat dosa.’ That is why we went to the hotel. At 5:30 pm, I learnt of the incident. This is the truth. You may believe it or not. From the hotel, I called the commissioner. He initially said one person had died. By then, 11 people had died,” he explained.
The Chief Minister further mentioned that his actions upon learning of the disaster. "I called the Home Minister and asked him to come with me to the hospital. We both went, we saw the dead bodies, and we were deeply hurt. It has disturbed me greatly. I immediately ordered an inquiry," he added.
Siddaramaiah outlined the steps taken in the aftermath, stating that on June 4, he ordered a Deputy Commissioner’s inquiry, and on June 5, a one-man commission of inquiry was established. The commission’s report was submitted on July 10.
Despite these actions, the opposition BJP has rejected Siddaramaiah’s explanation. Leader of the Opposition, R Ashoka, dismissed the Chief Minister's defense as "unacceptable." He criticised the government’s handling of the incident, claiming, "11 innocent people lost their lives. Here, Siddaramaiah says it’s not our fault, not the government’s fault, it’s the fault of the police. So, are the police not under this government?"
BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra also took aim at the Chief Minister, accusing him of shifting blame. “If government was not at fault, why have they taken Chief Minister's political secretary K Govindraj's resignation? Government is at fault,” he asserted.
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Oppn, X users flag concerns over US envoy Sergio Gor’s visit to Army’s western command
New Delhi: A visit by the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, to Chandigarh on Monday has triggered sharp criticism from opposition leaders and social media users, raising questions about national security and foreign policy.
On X, Ambassador Gor announced his visit, writing, “Just landed in Chandigarh. Looking forward to visiting the Western Command of the Indian Army.”
Just landed in Chandigarh. Looking forward to visiting the Western Command of the Indian Army
— Ambassador Sergio Gor (@USAmbIndia) February 16, 2026
Soon after, opposition voices questioned the broader implications of the visit. Congress Kerala, in a post, commented, “Why so much panic? We’ve already seen Pakistan's ISI getting access to Pathankot Airbase with this government's blessings. Didn't they say then ‘Modi ne kiya ho to kuch soch samajh kar kiya hoga?’ Compared to that, this is very small.”
Why so much panic? We’ve already seen Pakistan's ISI getting access to Pathankot Airbase with this government's blessings.
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) February 16, 2026
Didn't they say then "Modi ne kiya ho to kuch soch samajh kar kiya hoga?"
Compared to that, this is very small. pic.twitter.com/gNNuAGQBPC
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also weighed in, writing, “Since India’s national strategic interests are now tied to what US wants India to do, this visit seems to sync with that.”
She further added, “India’s history will remember the de-escalation announcement between India and Pak was announced on social media by the US President before Indians got to know from their own government. US Ambassador is doing the job for his nation, who is doing for us? The answer is blowing in the wind.”
Since India’s national strategic interests are now tied to what US wants India to do, this visit seems to sync with that. India’s history will remember the de-escalation announcement between India and Pak was announced on social media by the US President before Indians got to… pic.twitter.com/rYMq5NhJHA
— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) February 16, 2026
The visit comes against the backdrop of the growing US-India defence partnership.
Writer and political analyst @rajuparulekar commented on ‘X’, “East India Company is back!”
“Is it allowed for an ambassador to visit any army unit in india?” asked another user.
Several X users expressed concerns over the appropriateness of the visit.
One asked, “Is it allowed for an ambassador to visit any army unit in India?” Another wrote, “Why an ambassador visiting our army places? To talk to Chandigarh lobby for F-35?”
Why an ambassador visiting our army places ? To talk to chandigarh lobby for f-35 ??
— Rohan Sagar (@RohanSagar03) February 16, 2026
“We have completely sold Indian sovereignty. Rothschild the evil Bankers will now control NSE. Modi sold Bharat Mata to Trump . And now American imperialist is visiting our army command . Scary,” wrote another user.
“The Indian Army isn’t part of geopolitics, so why is he interested in visiting there?,” opined another.
The Indian Army isn’t part of geopolitics, so why is he interested in visiting there?
— Aditya Pratap Singh (@Adi_IIMCIAN) February 16, 2026
On Sunday, Gor welcomed Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), highlighting efforts to expand the growing US-India defence partnership.
In a post on X, Gor wrote, “Delighted to have @INDOPACOM Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo in India to expand the U.S.-India defense partnership. Now is the time to strengthen vital cooperation between our two nations.”
On Monday, Admiral Samuel J. Paparo Jr visited the headquarters of India’s Western Army Command along with the American envoy Sergio Gor. The delegation was briefed on the formation’s capabilities, its past operations, and future plans.
The American delegation also visited Bengaluru, where they met three start-ups, two in the space sector and one in defence, and participated in an Indo-US conference.
