Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra claims 11 died in RCB celebration stampede, demands judicial probe
Bengaluru, Jun 4 (PTI): Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday claimed that more than 11 people have died in the RCB celebration stampede and demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter.
According to official sources, at least four people were dead and several others injured in a stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium as thousands of RCB fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the team after their first-ever IPL win.
Vijayendra accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government of pressuring the police and organising celebrations without any preparedness and adequate police deployment.
"First of all, the state government, without any preparedness, should not have organised this today. If you would had seen the world cup match when India won, there was a big celebration in Mumbai also with lot of preparations. When lakhs and lakhs of people celebrated last night in Bengaluru, the state government should have thought before organising a function today itself," he told reporters here.
He alleged that the government went ahead with the celebrations even after senior officials of the police department advised them against organising function near Vidhana Soudha.
"Senior higher officers of the police department had advised the government not to organise any function near Vidhana Soudha, but they pressurised police department and forcefully organised the function. People have pelted stones, slippers. Luckily, no tragedy has taken place near Vidhana Soudha but whereas in Chinnaswamy Stadium..."
Vijayendra also visited one of the city hospitals where victims were rushed for treatment after being injured or falling unconscious during the chaos near the stadium.
"Is it not the responsibility of the state government to be prepared? Were they not aware that lakhs and lakhs of people will come to the celebrations? Without any preparations...I just spoke to victims...there was no ambulance available inside. No police arrangement was there inside the stadium. What nonsense is this," he added.
Claiming that more than 11 people have died in the tragedy, he said, "Few more people are very serious, children are serious..."
Demanding the state government to take up the responsibility for the stampede, he said, "Let the CM decide who has to take up the responsibility, because if I say anything today, it will be politics. I don't want to comment on anything beyond this, but I demand the chief minister to take up this matter seriously and he should refer the matter to a judicial inquiry."
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Have no personal involvement in Cong’s action against some minority leaders: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has no personal involvement in action taken against certain Congress leaders from the minority community following allegations of an internal conspiracy during the recently held Davanagere South bypolls.
He clarified that the decisions were taken by the party high command based on available reports.
Asserting that party discipline is of utmost importance, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, sought to downplay concerns that action against minority leaders may send a message that "Muslims are being targeted."
"I don’t have any personal involvement in this. Whatever decisions are taken are made by the party leadership. The party has its own reports. Decisions regarding MLAs or MLCs cannot be taken at the state level without instructions from Delhi," he said.
Speaking to reporters, he added, "People may blame me; I am not concerned. Everyone must function in accordance with party discipline."
Responding to concerns within sections of the party that recent actions may convey the impression that minority leaders are being targeted, he said the Congress exists for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, backward classes, farmers and all sections of society.
The Congress has suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from primary membership and relieved another MLC, Naseer Ahmed, from the post of CM’s political secretary.
The action followed allegations by a group of Muslim leaders that certain party members conspired to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action, speculation has emerged that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face disciplinary measures during the next cabinet reshuffle.
The three leaders had reportedly sought a Muslim candidate for the Davanagere South bypoll ticket, which the party instead allotted to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun. They were also said to have not actively participated in campaigning.
Shivakumar also rejected claims of factionalism within the ruling party amid speculation that leaders close to CM Siddaramaiah were being targeted.
Naseer Ahmed and Zameer Ahmed Khan are considered close to the chief minister.
Rejecting allegations of factions within the party, Shivakumar said, "We speak to each other every day. It is the media that creates divisions. Where is my faction? Has anyone put up a board saying they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction? Have I put up any such board?"
"All 139 legislators are my people, and they are all Siddaramaiah’s people as well. Everyone belongs to the Congress," he added, saying there are no factions within the party and such claims are media-driven.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi met Shivakumar on Friday, a day after expressing concerns that disciplinary action against minority leaders may send the wrong message.
Shivakumar said he discussed with Jarkiholi the need to decongest Bengaluru traffic by diverting vehicles entering the city from state and national highways, along with party-related issues.
"We also discussed political matters in the interest of the party and the need to work together," he said.
