Bengaluru, June 8 (UNI) Karnataka Opposition Leader R Ashok on Sunday demanded a special session of the Assembly to deliberate on the Chinnaswamy stadium stampede.
Addressing a press conference here, Ashok said the House should also discuss the Congress-led government’s failures that cost 11 lives ahead of IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations on Wednesday. “Three separate inquiries have been ordered – which one is genuine? We demand a judicial probe headed by a sitting High Court judge,” he insisted.
Ashok also called for enhanced compensation for the victims’ families. “If the government is truly not at fault, it should give Rs 1 crore per family. As opposition leaders, we will contribute our one month’s salary to the families,” he announced.
Dismissing the justification for such a grand event, Ashok added, “Winning a trophy is not new. Other states have won before. But no other CM has ever used such events for cheap publicity.”
He accused the state government of flouting police instructions and thereby breaking the law, which led to the stampede.
Ashok alleged that the tragedy could have been averted had Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar not been engrossed in a power tussle. “Instead of mourning the loss of innocent students, they were chasing a trophy. The police had informed the government of a casualty by noon, and yet the programme went on even after eight children had died. This shows how stone-hearted the government is,” he charged.
Ashok cited a letter dated June 4, from the Vidhana Soudha police to the Chief Secretary, warning that the programme was being hastily organised, with inadequate staff and serious security concerns. The letter had recommended cancelling the event, yet the government proceeded, he alleged.
He further stated that police had clearly instructed against the participation of department staff and their families, but the directive was ignored. “CCTV deployment was skipped, drones were flown despite prohibition, and the stage – which was to accommodate only 20–30 people – ended up hosting over 200, including 11 players,” he said.
Ashok pointed out that while the event was officially listed as a government function, CM Siddaramaiah later disowned it, claiming it was not a government-organised event. “This doublespeak is unacceptable,” he said.
