DK Shivakumar slams Opposition for politicising Bengaluru stampede deaths

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accused the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) of exploiting the deaths caused by the deadly stampede outside Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium for political gain. “The BJP and JD(S) are politicising over dead bodies. I feel sorry for them,” he said.

When asked about the statements made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the possibility of shifting the city’s Chinnaswamy stadium to a new location, DK Shivakumar avoided giving a direct answer. “I am the Deputy Chief Minister. Already my Chief Minister has taken some decisions which are best forward,” he said, without elaborating on what those decisions were.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Sunday, had said that his government will look into the option of shifting the city’s cricket stadium to another location so that such incidents could be avoided in the future.

Shivakumar added that the government was working on long-term solutions to prevent such incidents in the future. “We will come out with an act for crowd management. We will come out with a policy,” the Deputy Chief Minister said, indicating that legislative and administrative measures are being considered to improve public safety at mass gatherings.

The Deputy Chief Minister, who is currently in New Delhi to attend a workshop on solid waste management organised by the Delhi Municipal Corporation, is accompanied by officials from the Greater Bengaluru Authority. He is expected to return to Bengaluru by 5 pm today.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi tomorrow. He is expected to brief the party high command on the events surrounding the Bengaluru stampede and hold discussions on other ongoing political developments.