New Delhi [India], June 4 : BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and the Home Minister, labelling the tragic stampede outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium as "state-sponsored criminal negligence and murder."
Ponnawalla's remark came following a stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium earlier today, during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2025 title win celebration at the stadium.
He further criticised the government's insensitivity for continuing celebrations despite the deaths, highlighting their lack of accountability.
"Today, what we have witnessed in Bengaluru outside Chinnaswamy Stadium is not just a tragic incident where innocent and precious lives have been lost. It is a state-sponsored criminal negligence and a state-sponsored murder. Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and the Home Minister are directly responsible. They should resign. On the one hand, people have died, and you are continuing with the celebration... This is your sensitivity. Congress speaks a lot, but it had nothing to say today... People were being carried on arms... The Congress government is responsible, and these three people should resign," Poonawalla said.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also echoed the criticism, calling the incident a "heartbreaking tragedy" due to the state government's failure in planning, crowd management, and deploying emergency services.
He also urged the government to take responsibility for the avoidable disaster that, according to him, led to the death of around 10 people with over 30 people seriously injured.
"It is truly a tragedy that around 10 people died and over 30 were seriously injured in a stampede in Bengaluru. Such a heartbreaking incident took place due to lack of proper arrangements, planning and crowd management. The Karnataka state government has failed to fulfill its responsibility. Celebrations are taking place, but the state government's lack of proper planning and preparation has led to such a tragedy. Not deploying emergency services is extremely irresponsible. This unfortunate incident could have been avoided, but it is the government's failure that is responsible for this and the government must take responsibility," the Union Minister stated in a post on X.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and member of the Karnataka Legislative Council BK Hariprasad confirmed that more than 11 people had died during the stampede.
"The incident in which more than 11 people, including women, died in a stampede during the RCB cricket team's victory parade in Bengaluru is extremely shocking and regrettable. The condition of some of the injured in the stampede is serious, and the government should take immediate action to provide them with appropriate treatment. My condolences to the deceased and my condolences to their families," he stated.
The tragic event has now cast a shadow over RCB's much-celebrated IPL win, where they defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS), ending their long wait for a maiden title as they won the match by six runs at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.