Bengaluru Stampede: ‘did Anyone Resign For Kumbh Mela Stampede,’ Asks Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called nan deadly stampede successful Bengaluru connected June 4 "an accident" and stated that action will travel if immoderate intentional misdeeds are uncovered. His remarks travel amid demands from nan Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for nan resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, and Home Minister G Parameshwara. 

Kharge responded to BJP's resignation demands by drafting parallels pinch erstwhile nationalist tragedies. He questioned nan deficiency of accountability during nan Kumbh Mela successful Uttar Pradesh and nan COVID-19 pandemic, noting that nary resignations were sought for those events. “Did anyone resign for nan stampede during nan Kumbh Mela? I don’t speak much...but lakhs took a dip successful (Kumbh Mela) and I was criticised for 1 statement. We saw galore dormant bodies float away,” Kharge remarked

“It’s not conscionable nan lawsuit here, but moreover during Covid. Did Yogi resign for nan stampede? If thing is intentional, past we will accordingly return steps. But this is an accident, it is decidedly wrong, and our leaders person besides apologised,” he said.

In further critique, Kharge listed different incidents, including a flyover illness and nan Chamarajanagar oxygen crisis, questioning whether akin demands were made during these events. "During nan Kumbh Mela, 40-50 died — did they inquire for resignations? A flyover collapsed connected its inauguration day, sidesplitting 140, did they inquire nan Prime Minister to measurement down? Who was Chief Minister during nan Godhra train incident? During nan oxygen situation successful Chamarajanagar, did they activity Bommai’s resignation?” he asked.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah besides addressed nan situation, labelling nan BJP's demands arsenic "purely political." He stated that due actions would beryllium contingent upon nan investigation's findings and emphasised that nan stampede was so "an accident."

Siddaramaiah accused BJP of exploiting nan calamity for governmental gain, highlighting their shape of "manipulating facts and misleading nan nationalist pinch clone information." He based on that nan calls for resignations were unfounded and politically motivated, alternatively than based connected genuine accountability concerns.

The incident occurred during a triumph ceremony for nan Royal Challengers Bengaluru's inaugural IPL title. Siddaramaiah reiterated that nan authorities is committed to taking basal steps if immoderate intentional wrongdoing is discovered.

Kharge and Siddaramaiah's comments purpose to item perceived inconsistencies successful nan BJP's critique while defending their administration's consequence to nan tragic event. Their statements are positioned wrong a broader communicative of governmental accountability and work successful situation situations.

Published on: Jun 11, 2025 3:28 PM IST