The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sharply criticized the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government for its report attributing the June 4, 2025, Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede, which killed 11 and injured 47, to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and star cricketer Virat Kohli. BJP MLA and Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Aravind Bellad, accused the Congress government of seeking credit for RCB’s historic IPL victory after 18 years but now deflecting blame onto the franchise and Kohli to evade accountability.

The state’s report, made public after a Karnataka High Court order, claims RCB’s social media posts, including a video by Kohli inviting fans to a victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium, were made without police consultation, drawing an unmanageable crowd of over 3 lakh to a venue with a 35,000 capacity. Confusion over limited free passes fueled chaos, leading to the tragedy. The report notes the government curtailed the event’s duration rather than canceling it to avoid potential violence, a decision Bellad slammed as inadequate.

Bellad argued that Congress leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the DPAR secretary, actively invited the public, with Shivakumar personally felicitating the team. “If RCB was solely responsible, why suspend police officers?” he questioned, demanding an apology to the former Bengaluru Police Commissioner. He criticized the government for not refusing permission for the event, accusing them of prioritizing publicity over safety. The BJP’s stance echoes posts on X, with some alleging the government ignored police warnings about crowd risks.

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