All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday referred to the June 4 stampede outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium as an “accident,” rejecting the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) calls for top-level resignations in Karnataka over the tragic incident that claimed 11 lives.
In response to the BJP’s demand that the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Home Minister step down, Kharge said, “It is definitely wrong and our leaders have apologised.” He further questioned whether similar accountability was sought in other major tragedies.
“Did anyone resign for the stampede during the Kumbh Mela?” Kharge asked, while addressing the media. “Lakhs took a dip in Kumbh, and I was criticised for one statement. We saw many dead bodies float away. It’s not just the case here, but even during Covid. Did Yogi resign for the stampede?”
Kharge clarified that while the incident was serious, it was not a deliberate act of negligence. “If anything is intentional, then we will accordingly take steps. But this is an accident,” he reiterated.
Siddaramaiah Dismisses Resignation Calls as Politically Motivated
Echoing Kharge’s stance, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah denounced the BJP’s demand for resignations, calling it “purely political.” He said the Opposition was attempting to manipulate public sentiment with false information.
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“They always manipulate facts and mislead the public with fake information. Their demand for resignations has no basis,” Siddaramaiah said, defending the state’s administrative response to the stampede that occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory event.
The Chief Minister also invoked several past incidents to highlight the BJP’s selective outrage. “During the Kumbh Mela, 40–50 died — did they ask for resignations? A flyover collapsed on its inauguration day, killing 140 — did they ask the Prime Minister to step down? Who was Chief Minister during the Godhra train incident? During the oxygen crisis in Chamarajanagar, did they seek Bommai’s resignation?” Siddaramaiah questioned.
He concluded by stating that the government would act based on the findings of the official investigation, but would not give in to “opportunistic” political demands.
