Next cabinet meet to discuss panel report on Bengaluru stampede: Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the probe report of the one-man commission constituted by the government to inquire into the June 4 stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 people, will be discussed in the next cabinet meeting.

Not willing to share the findings of the report, he said the ministers have been given the gist of it to study before the next cabinet meet.

The commission headed by retired High Court judge John Michael Cunha submitted a two-volume report to Siddaramaiah on July 11, and it was placed before the cabinet during its meeting on Thursday.

"It has not been discussed in the cabinet yet, the Cunha committee report was yesterday submitted to the cabinet. Gist of the report has been given to all Ministers. They will study and it will be discussed in the next cabinet meeting," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

Asked about the findings of the report, he said, "the media has reported certain things....I will speak about it after the next cabinet meeting." The stampede occurred on June 4 outside the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's IPL victory celebrations. Eleven people died and many were injured in the incident.

Responding to a question on demand by several people, including retired Supreme Court Justice V Gopala Gowda for immediate constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the alleged mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala, over the past two decades, the CM said, the government will go ahead in the case in accordance with the law, based on police department's report.

"If SIT is necessary, it will be constituted. It will be based on the police department's report. The individual (eyewitness, a former sanitation worker who claimed that "hundreds of bodies" had been buried in the area), was absconding for 10 years, he has now made a statement before the police and has said whatever he has to. He has said that he is the one who has buried the dead bodies and that he will show the spot where they are buried. Let's see what the police say in a couple of days," he said.

Asserting that there was no pressure on the government in this case, the CM said, "even if the pressure is put, we will not heed to anything, we will do things in accordance with law."

Replying to a question on opposition BJP's criticism of his government's mega "Sadhana Samavesha" convention in Mysuru, planned on Saturday, Siddaramaiah said, development works worth Rs 2,658 crore will be inaugurated and foundation stones will be laid during the event. "Is it being done just like that?" He questioned what the BJP has done for Mysuru.

Amid speculations that the event was Siddaramaiah's show of strength to strengthen his grip over CM seat, he clarified that it is no one's show of strength. It was aimed at showcasing the Congress government's work before the people, because BJP is spreading misinformation that the government was not doing anything and it doesn't have money because of implementation of guarantee schemes.

To a question on urban voters not supporting Congress during elections, Siddarmaihah said, it cannot be said outrightly. It is with support of all voters the party has come to power. He cited the examples of Mysuru and Bengaluru.

Downplaying a question on curiosity surrounding "September revolution" as claimed by some Congress leaders, amid speculation about CM change, he said, "ask those who said it. Even if those who have said are from my party, they have not told me about it. Ask them."