IPL stampede: Pralhad Joshi seeks resignation of DKS

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi demands Deputy CM Shivakumar's resignation over Bengaluru stampede, criticizes government's handling of incident.

Holding the Congress government responsible for the tragic stampede outside Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on June 4, Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi has demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, Mr. Joshi held Chief Minister Siddaramaiah morally responsible for the incident, but said Mr. Shivakumar should resign first.

Contending that the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers were trying to wash their hands off the stampede by suspending senior police officials, Mr. Joshi said the reason cited by the government for suspending the police officials was that the permission for holding the celebrations was not denied in writing.

But Mr. Joshi sought to draw attention to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s post on X inviting cricket fans for the function to felicitate the members of the victorious Royal Challengers of Bengaluru (RCB) team on the steps of Vidhana Soudha on June 4. “Why did you felicitate the team in front of Vidhana Soudha even after three persons had died in stampede between 3.30 p.m. and 3.45 p.m. on that day?”, he asked wondering whether the felicitation function was held without police permission.

During the felicitation ceremony, Mr. Joshi said that Mr. Siddaramaiah, his Ministerial colleagues, their children, grandchildren, daughters-in-law, and family members of senior officials were taking selfies with the cricketers.

He said the Deputy Chief Minister went to the airport and brought the members of the victorious RCB team in a procession as though he was the team ‘coach’.

Alleging display of ‘goondagiri’ by Mr. Shivakumar during the celebrations and his visit to the Chinnaswamy stadium, Mr. Joshi sought to know from Mr. Siddaramaiah when he was going to suspend the Deputy Chief Minister.