Former Home Minister Araga Jnanendra calls Chinnaswamy stampede a state-sponsored murder; demands resignation of CM, DCM, and Home Minister

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has strongly condemned the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede, terming it a government-sponsored murder. Speaking in Bengaluru, he held the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Home Minister directly responsible for the tragedy and demanded their immediate resignation.

Recalling his experience during the Puneeth Rajkumar funeral when he managed a crowd of 20 lakh people successfully, Jnanendra criticized the current government for failing to handle the situation at Chinnaswamy. “Even when police advised against holding the event, the government went ahead. Would you hold such a program with your own children just for photo opportunities?” he questioned.

He further rejected comparisons between this incident and the Prayagraj event, emphasizing that the CM, DCM, and Home Minister bear full responsibility for this tragedy. “This government has committed a murder by causing the deaths of 11 people. To cover up their mistakes, they have suspended police officers,” he alleged.

Jnanendra accused the state government of lacking protocol during the event despite the presence of the Governor, CM, and DCM. He said the leaders were busy taking selfies and should have resigned immediately and apologized to the public after the tragedy. He condemned the government for holding the event despite warnings about inadequate security arrangements.

He warned that opposition voices are being dismissed as political drama but insisted that the truth must be acknowledged and those responsible held accountable.