Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra detained during a protest against Karnataka Chief Minister over the death of 11 people in a stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium (L), Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah.
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: With the opposition BJP seeking his resignation over 11 deaths in the June 4 stampede, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not step down owning responsibility for the 2002 Godhra riots in which 2,000 people died.
Siddaramaiah said this in a statement on a day when BJP staged a protest demanding his resignation.
The BJP must first release a list of its leaders who resigned during similar incidents in the past, the CM said.
"We empathize with the grief and anguish of the families affected by every tragedy. This is why we do not exploit such incidents for political gain. However, given the BJP leaders’ repeated attempts to incite the public by dredging up these incidents, we feel compelled to expose their hypocrisy," Siddaramaiah said.
"In 2002, during the Gujarat riots, approximately 2,000 innocent people from various communities lost their lives. Despite Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's suggestion to take responsibility and resign, then Chief Minister Narendra Modi neither stepped down nor expressed any remorse. Those demanding our resignation should first address this," Siddaramaiah said.
Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed, Siddaramaiah said the perpetrators have not been identified yet. "Isn’t this a failure of the central government? Who is accountable for this failure? Is it Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi, or PM Modi?" he said.
In strife-hit Manipur, Siddaramaiah said Biren Singh resigned as chief minister only after the Supreme Court intervened. "Hundreds have lost their lives, yet Biren Singh clung to power for 20 months...Shouldn’t the Union Home Minister [Amit Shah] take responsibility for this?" Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah said 140 people died due to the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat and 30 pilgrims died during the Maha Kumbh. "Were the CMs of those states not from the BJP? What moral authority does the BJP in our state have to demand our resignation?" he asked.
On the June 4 stampede, Siddaramaiah said his government has "taken accountability" and recounted the suspension of senior police officers and a one-man commission led by retired Justice John Michael Cunha.
"Despite taking such decisive actions, the BJP leaders in the state continue to protest. This makes it evident that their motives are political rather than driven by genuine concern for the people. Politicizing tragedies is not new to the BJP," Siddaramaiah charged.