Karnataka: CM defends the decision of RCB’s felicitation ceremony in the assembly, says- government has not done anything wrong

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended the decision to celebrate RCB’s victory in front of the Assembly and said that nothing untoward had happened. The Chief Minister’s reaction came after a letter from the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Assembly Security) surfaced, in which officials had warned against organizing the function in the assembly premises before the event.

Siddaramaiah also clarified that the event in front of the assembly was organized by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and he had attended only on invitation. On June 4, a felicitation ceremony was organized in front of the assembly on the occasion of RCB’s victory in the IPL. Along with this, a function was also organized at the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium. At the same time, a stampede occurred due to the gathering of a large crowd, in which 11 people were killed and 56 were injured.

The DCP (Assembly Security) had written a letter to the Secretary of the Government, Department of Personnel and Administration Reforms (DPAR) on June 4. In this letter, he had warned against organizing the event in a hurry. He had also said that it is difficult to provide security to so many people as they have less police force and it will not be easy to prepare so quickly. This letter has now come to light. DPAR had asked whether it would be okay to hold a felicitation ceremony of RCB players on the main stairs of the Legislative Assembly. This letter was written in response to this.

It was written in the letter of DCP (Assembly Security) that RCB has a huge fan following across the country. If the program is held on the main stairs of the Legislative Assembly in a hurry, then lakhs of fans will reach there. This will cause problems in the security system as there are less policemen there. He further said that for such a big event, police will have to be brought from outside the city as well, which will take time. Both law and order and traffic police will also have to work together, but time is short.

The officer said that if this program takes place, then giving online or offline passes to those visiting the Legislative Assembly should be completely stopped. Along with this, there is a possibility of secretariat employees coming to the program with their families, so an order should be issued to stop this. He also said that the secretariat staff should be given a day off in the afternoon so that they don’t come there.

The letter also said that more CCTV cameras should be installed around the assembly as a large crowd is expected. The DCP wrote that the assembly is a historical and important building. Keeping security in mind, such an event should take time so that there is no damage to the building and rules are followed. Despite this, whatever decision the government takes will be accepted.

When asked about the letter, Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysore, “After all, what is written in the letter? The police will work according to the government’s decision. I did not receive this letter. The DPAR secretary has given permission. When I was told, I gave permission for the event to be held in front of the assembly. When asked if there was any incident in the event held in front of the assembly, in which the governor was also present, he said that nothing happened there. The stampede incident happened later in the stadium.

When asked if DPAR secretary Satyavati would be suspended like the five police officers, including then police commissioner B Dayanand, the chief minister said, “What did Satyavati do? What happened in front of the assembly?” Siddaramaiah said the DPAR secretary had sought permission from him as per routine procedure to hold the event in front of the assembly. The chief secretary had said permission could be given and the police had also agreed.

“KSCA secretary and treasurer met me and called me. It was not our event. They had organised it and I was called. They told me the governor would also come, so I went. Apart from that I don’t know anything. The government has nothing to do with it. I was not invited to the stadium event.”

On the stampede incident, the chief minister said, “The government will consider shifting the cricket stadium to some other place. Such an untoward incident should not happen in any government. This incident has deeply saddened me personally and the government.” Five police officers have been suspended in this case. The intelligence chief and the political secretary of the chief minister have also been changed. The matter has been taken seriously and appropriate action has been taken. Though the government has done no wrong, the incident is still sad. The government has not taken any wrong step in this matter and legal action has been taken against the culprits. So the government should not feel any embarrassment. When people died in the Kumbh Mela, did the UP chief minister resign? Did the BJP and JDS demand the resignation of the UP chief minister?