Bengaluru stampede: Bhaskar Rao says police made scapegoats to shield political leadership
Former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao sought the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, and Home Minister G. Parameshwara, holding them responsible for the death of 11 persons in a stampede during the celebrations of the victory of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.
Speaking to media persons in Mysuru on June 7, Mr. Rao said the buck stops with the Chief Minister, the Deputy CM and the Home Minister, and they should resign. 'It is their criminal negligence that led to the stampede in which 11 persons lost their lives.'
Criticising the suspension of police officials, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, Mr. Rao called it a brazen attempt to shield the political leadership and deflect responsibility.
Solo protest by Bengaluru policeman
The suspension of Mr. Dayananda and others amounts to humiliating the entire police department which, Mr. Rao said, was now demoralised as officials have been made scapegoats. The officials could have been sent on leave or transferred, but instead the government choose to suspend them, he added.
The suspended officers could approach the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and challenge it, but they may not do so fearing political retaliation or loss of rapport with the political leadership, said Mr. Bhaskar Rao.
He called for a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge, not a retired one, and insisted that political figures must also be investigated.
''Mr. Siddaramaiah comes across as a weak and timid Chief Minister in his second tenure, and one wonders who is advising him as he is stumbling and committing one mistake after another,' said Mr. Rao
The former IPS officer questioned the hasty organisation of the victory parade, held within hours of RCB's IPL win, and accused the government of Karnataka of trying to hijack the team's victory for political mileage.
'Did the government sponsor the team, select the players, or train them? It had no role, yet tried to bask in its glory,' he said, adding that such celebrations have traditionally occurred days after the victory, not immediately.
''The government wanted to endear itself with the youth and seems to be in a tearing hurry to organise the event though it is neither the victory of the State or the country. It was after all a victory of a club,' he added.
He accused the political leadership of bowing to pressure from the BCCI and the IPL to conduct the victory parade, and said the elected government is responsible for seven crore people, and not for a few organisations or individuals.
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