Mysuru — Dr. Yatindra Siddaramaiah, Member of the Legislative Council, acknowledged that mistakes occurred during the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) felicitation event in Bengaluru but defended Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, stating neither should be blamed for the tragedy.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said, “More people than anticipated gathered, leading to this unfortunate incident. The government was under pressure to hold the event. Neither the Chief Minister nor the Deputy Chief Minister is at fault.”
He clarified, “There were no lapses at the Vidhana Soudha venue, where ministers and their families were present, and the crowd was manageable. The problem arose when fans rushed to the stadium to see the players.”
Responding to political criticism, Yatindra said, “The BJP, which initially demanded the felicitation, is now indulging in theatrics. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered, and an officer appointed. It’s too soon to assign blame.”
Addressing the absence of a roadshow, he added, “Holding a roadshow could have compromised player security. The accident was not due to having two separate programs, as some claim.”