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Raj Bhavan contradicted CM Siddaramaiah's claim that the RCB felicitation at Vidhana Soudha wasn’t government-hosted. This comes amid criticism over the RCB victory parade stampede in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives.
Bengaluru: The controversy surrounding the felicitation ceremony for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) players at the Vidhana Soudha has deepened, as Raj Bhavan issued a statement contradicting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assertion that the event was not organised by the state government.
Raj Bhavan confirms CM's formal invitation to Governor
In an official statement, Raj Bhavan clarified that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had formally invited Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot to attend the event honouring the IPL 2024 runners-up at Vidhana Soudha on June 4.
“The Chief Minister officially invited the Governor to attend the event at Vidhana Soudha to felicitate the RCB players,” the statement said.
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According to the governor’s office, initial plans included hosting the RCB team at Raj Bhavan. However, when coordination was sought with the Chief Secretary, Raj Bhavan was informed that the state government would hold the event at Vidhana Soudha instead.
CM distances government from felicitation after stampede
Following the tragic stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium on the same day, which resulted in the death of 11 people, Siddaramaiah stated that the felicitation event was not a government initiative and that he had attended only upon invitation from cricket officials.
“The Governor was also invited. I was not invited to the event at the stadium,” Siddaramaiah said.
Police warned of security risks, but event went ahead
The state government has come under fire amid reports that Bengaluru police had warned of potential security risks prior to the felicitation ceremony. Despite this, the event proceeded, attracting a massive crowd to the stadium area, culminating in the fatal stampede.
CM blames opposition for politiciinsg tragedy
Facing mounting backlash, Siddaramaiah defended his administration, saying:
“Our government has taken the stampede incident seriously.”
He accused the opposition BJP and JD(S) of politicising the tragedy, adding that no untoward incident occurred at Vidhana Soudha during the formal event.
Political blame game intensifies
However, Raj Bhavan’s clarification has cast doubt on the Chief Minister’s narrative, raising serious questions about the state’s coordination, accountability, and responsibility in organising the event. Opposition parties have seized the moment to question the government’s preparedness and transparency, turning the tragedy into a full-blown political controversy.
