Karnataka HC restrains police from taking action against RCB

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday restrained the Bengaluru police from arresting or taking action against the officials of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) or the event management company, DNA, in the June 4 Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede incident.

The Bench passed the order while hearing the petitions filed by Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), the company that owns the RCB.

However, the court ordered the petitioners (RCB and DNA) to cooperate with the investigation. The next date of hearing is on July 8.

The DNA had organised the RCB team’s victory celebrations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The state government had blamed the event organisers for holding the victory event without proper intimation to the authorities, and the organisers blamed the state authorities for not taking steps to manage the crowd.

The BJP stepped up the attack against the Karnataka Congress, demanding resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar. Hitting back, the CM asked the BJP leaders in the state to first release a list of its leaders, who resigned during similar incidents in the past.

The Karnataka CM said, “What happened near the Chinnaswamy Stadium is an unfortunate accident. As a responsible government, we have taken accountability for the incident.”

“We have suspended senior police officers, including the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, and transferred the chief of the state Intelligence Department. My political secretary has also been relieved of his duties. Additionally, we have constituted a one-member commission led by Justice John Michael Cunha (retd) to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter,” Siddaramaiah said.

He said despite taking decisive actions, the BJP leaders in the state continue to protest. “It is ingrained in their DNA to pounce over every incident of death, accident or violence like vultures. Even if an elephant dies in their courtyard, they have the habit of turning their attention to a fly on their neighbour’s plate,” he said.

Siddaramaiah pointed out that PM Narendra Modi, who was then the Gujarat CM for not resigning after 2002 Godhra riots. “In 2002 riots, around 2,000 people from various communities lost their lives. Despite then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s suggestion to take responsibility and resign, Modi neither stepped down nor has he expressed any remorse for the riots till date. Those demanding our resignation should first address this,” he said.

Siddaramaiah also attacked the BJP for the mayhem in Manipur, saying N Biren Singh resigned only after the Supreme Court intervened.

“In Gujarat, the Morbi bridge collapse claimed 140 lives. In January this year, 30 pilgrims lost their lives during the Maha Kumbh Mela. Were the CMs of those states not from the BJP? Not only did they not resign, but those governments have also not conducted a proper investigation into these incidents. Given this, what moral authority does the BJP in our state have to demand our resignation?” he asked.