BENGALURU: Even as the Karnataka High Court takes up on Tuesday the suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) on the death of 11 people in a stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB victory celebration last week, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar will be in New Delhi briefing Congress high command leaders about the incident and later developments that have put the government in the dock.
Sources said the CM and DyCM have been called to Delhi to brief AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. At the meeting at 11 am, the CM and DyCM will explain the sequence of events on June 4 and measures taken by the state government after the stampede.
Siddu, DKS likely to discuss cabinet reshuffle, MLC polls with brass
They will try and justify that it was not the government’s fault, but a failure on the part of the police and event organisers, sources said. They will explain to central leaders that the state government suspended five senior officers, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, for “substantial dereliction of duty,” and also transferred ADGP, intelligence. The CM also removed his Political Secretary K Govindraj and cases have been registered against representatives of RCB, DNA and KSCA. The government has also constituted a one-man commission of retired high court judge Justice Michael D’Cunha to probe the incident.
The CM has blamed the city police for not keeping the government informed about the preparedness. Siddaramaiah has also rubbished BJP and JDS demand the resignation of the CM, DyCM and home minister.
Sources said the Congress high command has already taken details over the phone. It is concerned about the developments impacting the image of the party and government as a series of polls, including for local bodies, are likely over the next few months, the sources said.
“Though the incident happened in Bengaluru, it was about cricket and young people from across the state were there. This will impact the party image. The central leaders are likely to raise these aspects during the meeting,” sources said.
The CM and DyCM will also likely discuss cabinet reshuffle, the new MLC list and other developments, the informe sources said.