"State-sponsored murder": BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla on Bengaluru stampede
BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday lashed out at the Karnataka government for terming the Bengaluru stampede as an "accident" and said that it was a "state-sponsored murder."
ANI
Jun 11, 2025 17:52 IST
New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday lashed out at Karnataka government for terming Bengaluru stampede as an "accident" and said that it was a "state-sponsored murder."
Speaking to ANI, Poonawalla said, " When the entire country knows that Bengaluru stampede was a man-made and state-sponsored murder, in which Siddaramah and DK Shivkumar are involved, then instead of taking responsibility, the Congress party is blaming the public and calling it an accident."
Poonawalla alleged that the Congress government is blaming the public and police for the stampede to save Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
"To save the CM and the deputy CM, the police and the public are being blamed. This was not an accident but a state-sponsored murder. It has come to light that DCP Vidhana Soudha had said no to this (RCB victory celebration program)."
Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah dismissed the BJP's demand for his resignation over the Bengaluru stampede, accusing the party of "doing politics in everything."
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah questioned why the BJP had not demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath when a stampede occurred during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj earlier this year.
"40-50 people died in a stampede at Kumbh Mela. Did they demand the chief minister's resignation then? A bridge collapsed on the day of the inauguration, and 140 people died. Did they demand the Prime Minister's resignation then?" Siddaramaiah asked while talking to reporters here.
The stampede that occurred during celebrations outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Indian Premier League (IPL) victory celebrations claimed 11 lives.
Following the Bengaluru stampede, the Karnataka Government on June 5 suspended top police officials at the Cubbon Park Police Station and formed a one-man commission under a retired High Court Judge to probe the incident. (ANI)
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