<p>Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday blamed "mass hysteria" for the June 4 Chinnaswamy stadium stampede that killed 11 people and injured 71, and accused the opposition BJP-JD(S) of adding to the frenzy on that day.</p>.<p>He was responding to a debate on the stampede, initiated last week in the Legislative Assembly by Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka.</p>.<p>"There's a mass hysteria around Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) even though it's not the state's official team and has only two players from Karnataka. Some people think it's Bengaluru's identity. They won the IPL for the first time in 18 years. No matter how much we oppose it, we sometimes have to bow down to the aspirations of the people."</p>.Women's ODI World Cup: Chinnaswamy replaced by DY Patil Stadium .<p>Siddaramaiah recollected that on the morning of June 4, he had told his then political secretary, K. Govindaraju, who was sacked two days later, that he wouldn't attend the felicitation ceremony since RCB is not Karnataka’s team.</p>.<p>The chief minister then trained his guns on the BJP-JD (S) combine, stating that they had criticised the government for denying permission for a victory procession of the IPL team.</p>.<p>"Even the Opposition had attempted to make use of the mass hysteria. The BJP had tweeted on its official handle that Home Minister G Parameshwara was inept and inefficient for denying permission to RCB to come in an open van. If we hadn't given permission, they would have fought against that also."</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah explained that stampedes were most likely at religious places, sports events, celebrations and mournings and instances of people running away in panic.</p>.<p>He mentioned more than a dozen instances of stampedes where multiple people died in BJP and NDA-ruled states.</p>.<p>"In 2012, there was a stampede in Patna where 20 people died. At the time, the BJP/JD(U) government headed by Nitish Kumar was in power. In 2023, 33 people died at Baleshwar, Madhya Pradesh, when BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the CM. In 2024, 121 people died at Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, when BJP’s Yogi Adityanath was the CM. In January 2025, 39 people died in Prayagraj. Yogi Adityanath was the CM. Were there inquiries? Did you demand an apology and resignation from all these people?</p>.<p>The CM also mentioned international incidents, claiming that 174 people died in a football stadium stampede in Indonesia in 2022. </p>.<p>Responding to the BJP’s argument that the government should apologise, Siddaramaiah noted that three IPS officers, an ACP and an inspector were suspended, and that a magisterial and judicial inquiry had also been conducted.</p>.<p>"Justice can't be delivered by saying sorry. It’s through such measures that justice will be delivered." Stating that he was "saddened" by the incident, Siddaramaiah added that it shouldn’t have happened.</p>.<p>Opposition leader R Ashoka again urged the CM to resign. Not convinced by Siddaramaiah's reaction, the BJP staged a walkout.</p>.<p><strong>ICC event shifted </strong></p><p>The Karnataka State Cricket Association’s (KSCA) hopes of hosting ICC Women’s World Cup matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium received a body blow after the police imposed 10 strict guidelines. Following this ICC decided to shift the matches DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday blamed "mass hysteria" for the June 4 Chinnaswamy stadium stampede that killed 11 people and injured 71, and accused the opposition BJP-JD(S) of adding to the frenzy on that day.</p>.<p>He was responding to a debate on the stampede, initiated last week in the Legislative Assembly by Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka.</p>.<p>"There's a mass hysteria around Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) even though it's not the state's official team and has only two players from Karnataka. Some people think it's Bengaluru's identity. They won the IPL for the first time in 18 years. No matter how much we oppose it, we sometimes have to bow down to the aspirations of the people."</p>.Women's ODI World Cup: Chinnaswamy replaced by DY Patil Stadium .<p>Siddaramaiah recollected that on the morning of June 4, he had told his then political secretary, K. Govindaraju, who was sacked two days later, that he wouldn't attend the felicitation ceremony since RCB is not Karnataka’s team.</p>.<p>The chief minister then trained his guns on the BJP-JD (S) combine, stating that they had criticised the government for denying permission for a victory procession of the IPL team.</p>.<p>"Even the Opposition had attempted to make use of the mass hysteria. The BJP had tweeted on its official handle that Home Minister G Parameshwara was inept and inefficient for denying permission to RCB to come in an open van. If we hadn't given permission, they would have fought against that also."</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah explained that stampedes were most likely at religious places, sports events, celebrations and mournings and instances of people running away in panic.</p>.<p>He mentioned more than a dozen instances of stampedes where multiple people died in BJP and NDA-ruled states.</p>.<p>"In 2012, there was a stampede in Patna where 20 people died. At the time, the BJP/JD(U) government headed by Nitish Kumar was in power. In 2023, 33 people died at Baleshwar, Madhya Pradesh, when BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the CM. In 2024, 121 people died at Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, when BJP’s Yogi Adityanath was the CM. In January 2025, 39 people died in Prayagraj. Yogi Adityanath was the CM. Were there inquiries? Did you demand an apology and resignation from all these people?</p>.<p>The CM also mentioned international incidents, claiming that 174 people died in a football stadium stampede in Indonesia in 2022. </p>.<p>Responding to the BJP’s argument that the government should apologise, Siddaramaiah noted that three IPS officers, an ACP and an inspector were suspended, and that a magisterial and judicial inquiry had also been conducted.</p>.<p>"Justice can't be delivered by saying sorry. It’s through such measures that justice will be delivered." Stating that he was "saddened" by the incident, Siddaramaiah added that it shouldn’t have happened.</p>.<p>Opposition leader R Ashoka again urged the CM to resign. Not convinced by Siddaramaiah's reaction, the BJP staged a walkout.</p>.<p><strong>ICC event shifted </strong></p><p>The Karnataka State Cricket Association’s (KSCA) hopes of hosting ICC Women’s World Cup matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium received a body blow after the police imposed 10 strict guidelines. Following this ICC decided to shift the matches DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. </p>
