The tragic stampede in Bengaluru on June 4, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people and injuries to over 50, has prompted serious introspection and action within the Congress party. The incident occurred outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during an event organized to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) victory in the IPL. In the wake of the tragedy, the Congress high command summoned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to Delhi for a meeting to address the situation and discuss damage control measures.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, was attended by top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, and Randeep Singh Surjewala. The purpose was to seek explanations from the Karnataka leaders regarding the stampede and to strategize a way forward. The Congress party is facing criticism for allegedly shifting blame and not taking adequate responsibility for the incident.
Sources indicate that Rahul Gandhi expressed his dissatisfaction with the events, stating that the tragedy could have been avoided with extra precautions. He also instructed the state leaders to fix responsibility for the mishap. The high command emphasized the importance of prioritizing human life and adopting a pro-people approach in handling the issue with utmost sensitivity.
Amid the fallout, both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister have been asked to provide a detailed briefing of the administration's response to the stampede. Siddaramaiah had earlier distanced himself from the event, stating he had "no connection" to the stadium celebration, while Shivakumar assured that the government is working on long-term crowd management reforms and is considering enacting a policy for it. The opposition, including the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular), has been demanding political accountability and calling for a special legislative session to discuss the events leading up to the stampede.
In addition to addressing the stampede, the Congress high command also discussed the matter of the caste census with the Karnataka leaders. The party has directed the state government to conduct a fresh caste survey within 60-80 days to address concerns of communities left out in the decade-old enumeration.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government is facing scrutiny from the High Court regarding its handling of the situation. The court has raised questions about the decision to hold the victory celebration, the measures taken to regulate traffic and crowds, and the adequacy of medical facilities at the venue. The court is also examining whether the government made any advance assessment of the number of people expected to attend and whether a standard operating procedure exists for managing large crowds at sporting events or celebrations.
The state government has, in turn, pointed fingers at RCB, arguing that the franchise's social media promotions led to the uncontrollable crowd surge. The government told the High Court that RCB failed to obtain prior permission for the victory parade despite having a massive online following. In response, RCB's legal team has argued that attendance was based on prior registration and subject to stadium capacity.
As investigations continue, the Karnataka government has sought time to file a detailed status report with the High Court, with permission to submit the report in a sealed cover. The High Court has also been hearing petitions challenging the arrest of RCB's marketing head, Nikhil Sosale, in connection with the stampede.
The "one voice, one party" narrative is being tested as the Congress party grapples with the aftermath of the Bengaluru stampede. The high command's intervention signals a need for unified action and a clear strategy to address the concerns raised by the public and the opposition. The coming days will be crucial in determining how the Karnataka government and the Congress party navigate this crisis and work towards preventing similar tragedies in the future.
