Bengaluru, Jun 6 (PTI) Opposition BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka on Friday jointly lashed out at the Congress government for making police officers the “scapegoat” for the stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium here that killed 11 people, and alleged that the entire responsibility for the incident lies with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar.

JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy termed the suspension of five officials as a “blunder” and asserted that this government should go.

State BJP president B Y Vijayendra demanded the Chief Minister and deputy CM’s resignation and a case be booked against them.

The stampede occurred on Wednesday evening in front of the stadium, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team’s IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people have died and 56 were injured in the incident.

The government on Thursday suspended Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda and four other senior police officials in connection with the incident for the dereliction of duty.

“Yesterday’s decision to suspend five police officers is another blunder of this government. The entire fault lies with the government. To build their image by misusing this IPL victory of RCB, both CM and DCM have taken decisions (to organise victory celebration) by going against the advice given by senior officers,” Kumaraswamy said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, “Now after the bad incident (stampede) that took place on June 4, the government is blaming it as police failure. Failure of police means government failure. This government should go according to me.” Vijayendra said Siddarmaiah to save his face has made the police officers the scapegoat by targeting them.

“Police commissioner of Bengaluru has been made the scapegoat in this entire episode. But it was a failure on part of the intelligence and the intelligence department is with Siddaramaiah,” he said.

Noting that in the FIR that was registered, RCB, DNA event management firm and KSCA have been named as accused. “But in this entire episode accused number one is the chief minister himself, accused number two is deputy CM D K Shivakumar — they have to be named as accused number one and two, because it is sheer carelessness, negligence on part of the state government, which has led to this tragedy,” the BJP chief said.

The CM has to take up the responsibility, instead of making the officers as the scapegoat. “The chief minister has to tender his resignation and D K Shivakumar has to resign,” he said.

Pointing out that as per the FIR, when the permission was sought for victory rally, it was denied by the police, Vijayendra asked, then how did the government decide to organise the victory celebration on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha.

“Lakhs of people had gathered near Chinnaswamy stadium and Vidhana Soudha, so police could not give security at both places and this resulted in tragedy and loss of 11 lives,” he said.

Noting that ultimately the onus is on the CM and Deputy CM, he further said, despite deaths they went on with the celebrations. “Shivakumar had even gone to the victory celebration at the stadium despite deaths there. This is so insensitive.” Alleging that pressure was exerted by the CM himself to carryout the victory celebrations of RCB, Vijayendra claimed that the senior officials were called to CM’s house and when they tried convince him not to organise celebrations hurriedly, Siddaramaiah insisted and ordered to give permission and only then permission was granted.

“This clearly shows the government’s eagerness to encash on RCB’s victory for their publicity gimmick that has led to this tragedy,” he added. PTI KSU KH