BENGALURU: In the aftermath of the tragic stampede near Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and left several injured, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah criticized state BJP leaders for politicising the incident and showing double standards.The tragedy occurred as a massive crowd gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) long-awaited IPL victory.Addressing the media, CM Siddaramaiah defended his government’s response, stating that swift and decisive action had been taken. “Regarding the tragic stampede incident near Chinnaswamy Stadium, I request the BJP leaders in the state to first release a list of BJP leaders who resigned during similar incidents in the past before demanding our resignation. What happened near Chinnaswamy Stadium is an unfortunate accident,” he said.He emphasized that the Congress-led government had accepted full responsibility for the incident. “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 has also been relieved of his duties. Additionally, we have constituted a one-member commission led by retired Justice John Michael Cunha to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter,” Siddaramaiah noted.To ensure a fair and thorough inquiry, the government has formed a one-member commission led by retired Justice John Michael Cunha. “Our government is answerable to the 7 crore people of Karnataka. Hence, in the stampede case, preliminary action has been taken against those who appeared negligent. A comprehensive and impartial investigation is being conducted under the leadership of a retired judge. Based on the commission’s report, strict action will be taken against the culprits without hesitation,” he added.The chief minister did not hold back in his criticism of the BJP’s response. “Despite taking such decisive actions, the BJP leaders in the state continue to protest. This makes it evident that their motives are political rather than driven by genuine concern for the people. Politicizing tragedies is not new to the BJP. It is ingrained in their DNA to pounce like vultures over every incident of death, accident, or violence,” Siddaramaiah remarked.Taking a sharp dig, he added, “Even if an elephant dies in their courtyard, they have the habit of turning their attention to a fly on their neighbor’s plate. The people of Karnataka have understood this pattern of behavior.”While expressing sympathy for the families affected by the tragedy, the CM accused BJP leaders of trying to incite public sentiment. “We empathize 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.”The state government has reiterated its commitment to transparency and justice as the probe continues.