States » SouthPosted at: Jun 16 2025 5:21PM


Cong alleges BJP-JDS hand in stampede, moves Justice Cunha panel

Bengaluru, June 16 (UNI) Congress leader M Lakshmana on Monday alleged a premeditated conspiracy by the BJP and JD(S) to incite chaos that led to the recent stampede during the RCB fan event in Bengaluru, and said a formal petition has been submitted to Justice Michael D' Cunha, who is heading the judicial probe into the incident.
Addressing media persons, Lakshmana said, "Today, we submitted a complaint to Justice Michael D’ Cunha on behalf of the Congress party. The state government has appointed him to lead a single-member commission to investigate the tragic stampede."
Lakshmana claimed that two tweets posted by the BJP and JD (S) on June 4 — one at 12 noon and another at 3 PM — may have emotionally charged the youth and contributed to the unrest that spiralled into a stampede.
"We believe those tweets were provocative and deliberately timed to incite public anger," he alleged.
He said CCTV footage accessed by the authorities showed groups of 10–15 individuals pushing people near the compound wall in a seemingly organised manner.
"These visuals raise serious concerns. We suspect BJP workers deployed groups to create confusion and spark panic," he stated.
The Congress leader said he has been summoned to depose before the commission and will present documents and video evidence in support of the party's claims.
"The country is witnessing growing public anger due to rising incidents of deaths and accidents. The RCB stampede was a result of this emotional build-up, which was exploited by certain political forces for their gain," Lakshmana remarked.
He also criticised the BJP's ongoing agitation, demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
"For 15 days, leaders like R Ashoka, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, and Vijayendra Yediyurappa have been whipping up political unrest. This is part of a larger conspiracy," he charged.
Taking strong exception to BJP leader R Ashoka's remarks in Mysuru, Lakshmana said, "Ashoka insulted Justice Cunha by mocking his name in a press meet yesterday. We have filed a police complaint in Mysuru for disrespecting a retired judge."
He further alleged that the BJP is targeting Justice Cunha because he is a minority and an upright officer who had once sent former CM Yediyurappa to jail.
"If BJP does not trust him, they should say so openly, not mock his identity. This is an attack on judicial independence," he said.
Lakshmana accused the BJP of harbouring a mindset that seeks to control the judiciary.
"This is a dangerous trend. They want to destabilise the state government by inciting violence and manipulating public sentiment," he warned.
He urged the commission to probe the sequence of events, especially the timing and content of the June 4 tweets, which, he said, were strategically posted ahead of the incident and aimed to provoke.
"We have no other agenda. Our only demand is a full, impartial investigation into all these aspects," he said.
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Tags: #Cong alleges BJP-JDS hand in stampede# moves Justice Cunha panel
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