Karnataka: BJP Slams Congress Government After RCB Victory Celebration Stampede

In a tragic turn during what was meant to be a celebratory moment for Karnataka, a stampede broke out on Wednesday (4 June) in Bengaluru during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory parade, leaving over 10 people dead and several others seriously injured.

The incident unfolded outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a sea of fans had gathered to mark RCB’s maiden IPL title.

According to a report by The Hindu, more than two lakh people converged in central Bengaluru for the RCB victory celebrations.

The Times of India reported that the stampede resulted in at least 11 fatalities and over 70 injuries.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed condolences and assured compensation for the families of the deceased, while also calling for better protocols for public event management.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come down strongly on the Congress-led state government.

In a post on X,(Formerly known as Twitter) BJP Karnataka stated: “Congress proves once again that photo-ops matter more than lives of Kannadigas. Karnataka will not forget this.”

Echoing this, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra remarked, “Who are you trying to fool when you claim you didn’t anticipate an overwhelming crowd? Given the expectations and the frenzied excitement of the fans, even a child could have foreseen the massive turnout. This is nothing short of a dereliction of duty by you and your government - one that chose publicity stunts over the safety and well-being of innocent citizens, right on the sacred podium of Vidhana Soudha".