Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Karnataka Assembly and veteran BJP leader, R. Ashoka, said on Tuesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Home Minister G. Parameshwara should take responsibility for their involvement in the recent Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stampede incident and a probe should be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Speaking in the Assembly, LoP Ashoka said that if Siddaramaiah has any sensitivity regarding the incident, he should apologise to the people of the state.

“The Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister should take full responsibility for the stampede incident. Along with that, they should resign and a CBI investigation should be conducted in the matter,” he added.“Furthermore, rules should be formulated to prevent such incidents in the future, and a house committee should be appointed. Justice should be provided to the grieving parents,” he said.“Instructions about the programme were given from the Chief Minister’s office itself.

The state government says this is not a government celebration. But RCB and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) have said that the state government invited them. This is also mentioned in the affidavit submitted to the court,” the LOP added.Ashoka highlighted that the RCB in the court said, “We didn’t ask for victory celebration, government asked us. We sent players because government ordered us. We are just players who play under BCCI rules.”Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that an FIR should be filed against RCB. Ashoka also said, “The KSCA stated to the court that the FIR against them has been filed to avoid public anger against the government.

”“If proper doctors and ambulance arrangements were made, such a disaster would not have happened. Even after so many deaths, the RCB team went to the stadium and celebrated. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar also went to this programme,” LoP Ashoka said.“According to Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission, 515 personnel were deployed. But only 194 signed in the register. Even when senior officials brought the news of deaths to the Ministers’ notice, the programme did not stop. The RCB team members brought the IPL trophy to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Was it necessary for Shivakumar to kiss the trophy, hold it up and display it?” he asked.