Bengaluru stampede: KSCA and RCB organised Vidhana Soudha event; I invited governor, says CM Siddaramaiah

“It is not correct,” the chief minister said, dismissing the reports. “(Former) political secretary (to the CM), K Govindaraju rang up Raj Bhavan and gave it to me. I told the governor that I was going and you come too,” he said while speaking to reporters at Gauribidanur in Chikkaballapur district.

To a question, he said he was not aware if anyone else had invited the governor.

The chief minister said the Karnataka State Cricket Association and RCB organised the Vidhana Soudha event on June 4. “They requested me at 11.29 am (to hold the event) and I cleared it. The chief secretary had also called and I okayed it,” he said.

After the felicitation at the Vidhana Soudha, an event was organised at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Eleven people lost their lives in the stampede while trying to enter the stadium through one of its gates, leading to a massive uproar, with Opposition parties calling for the resignation of Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar, and Home Minister G Parameshwara.