Karnataka CM seeks list of leaders who resigned after deaths in BJP-ruled States

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked BJP who resigned after Gujarat riots, Morbi bridge collapse, Manipur violence, stampede in Maha Kumbh Mela in UP, Pahalgam terror attack. | Photo Credit: File photo

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dared the opposition BJP to release a list of leaders who resigned following stampedes in BJP-rules States before demanding that he and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar bow out.

Who resigned after....

Citing the Gujarat riots in 2002, terrorist attack in Pahalgam in J&K in which 26 persons lost their lives, violence in Manipur, Morbi bridge collapse that claimed 140 lives in Gujarat, and death of 30 pilgrims during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh in January 2025, Mr. Siddaramaiah questioned the credibility of the BJP’s protest and the demand for his resignation and that of Mr. Shivakumar.

The Chief Minister said a retired judge of the High Court was conducting an investigation into the stampede at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on June 4 that claimed 11 lives. Based on the commission’s report, strict action would be taken against the culprits without hesitation, he said.

In a statement released to the press, Mr. Siddaramaiah stated: “What happened near Chinnaswamy stadium on June 4, 2025, 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 (Govindaraju, MLC) has also been relieved of his duties. Additionally, we have constituted a one-member commission led by Justice (retired) John Michael D’Cunha to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.”

The State unit of the BJP staged a protest on June 17 demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister and the Deputy CM.

“Despite taking such decisive action, the BJP leaders in Karnataka continue to protest. This makes it evident that their motives are political rather than driven by genuine concern for the people. Politicising tragedies is not new to the BJP,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

“We empathise 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 by bringing certain incidents during their rule to the attention of the people,” he said.

Siddaramaiah questions BJP about deaths in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur

Recalling past incidents, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, “During the Gujarat riots in 2002, approximately 2,000 innocent persons from various communities lost their lives. Despite then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s suggestion to take responsibility and resign, then Chief Minister Narendra Modi neither stepped down nor expressed any remorse till date.

“In April this year, during the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in J&K, 26 persons lost their lives. “Our party did not demand the resignation of the Prime Minister over this incident. We merely requested a special parliamentary session to discuss the attack, which was denied by the Prime Minister. Even now, the perpetrators of this attack have not been identified. Isn’t this a failure of the Central Government? Who is accountable for this failure? Is it Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul Gandhi, or Prime Minister Narendra Modi?”

Mr. Siddaramiah said, “For the past two years, Manipur has been engulfed in violence. Hundreds have lost their lives, yet Chief Minister Biren Singh clung to power for 20 months. He resigned only after the Supreme Court intervened, but violence continues to plague the State. Shouldn’t the Union Home Minister take responsibility for this?

“In Gujarat, the Morbi bridge collapse claimed 140 lives. In January this year, 30 pilgrims lost their lives during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh. Were the Chief Ministers 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 have to demand our resignation?”

Mr. Siddaramaiah urged the BJP leaders in Karnataka to ‘abandon their street theatrics and act in accordance with their conscience’.

Published - June 17, 2025 04:21 pm IST