Belagavi, Dec 10 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said the proposal to allow cricket matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will be discussed and decided in the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday (December 11). The stadium has not hosted any matches since the stampede on June 4, in which 11 people were killed.
He was speaking to the media on Wednesday at the Belagavi Circuit House after the newly elected Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) President, former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad and other newly elected office-bearers met him.
“We have no intention of stopping cricket matches. But crowd-management measures need to be examined. We also intend to implement the recommendations of the Justice Michael D’Cunha Committee in a phased manner. Venkatesh Prasad too has agreed to this,” he said.
“Our government is committed to responding to the sentiments of cricket fans without compromising the honour and self-respect of our state,” he added.
“Whether it is the IPL or any other match, we will not allow them to be shifted out of Bengaluru. I have conveyed that we should work together. The government is also ready to build new stadiums, and this too will be discussed,” he stated.
Shivakumar added that newly elected KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad and his team had met the Chief Minister and himself seeking the government’s cooperation for the upcoming cricket matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
“I wish Venkatesh Prasad’s tea -- which has the support of former cricketers Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble and has now taken charge -- the very best. I have conveyed the government’s congratulations,” he said.
It can be recalled that on June 4, eleven people died in the incident of a stampede while celebrating Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)’s first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) victory. Thousands of fans gathered outside Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate, and the number of people far exceeded the stadium’s capacity (about 35,000), reportedly swelling to 2 to 3 lakh.
Confusion over free passes and tickets, combined with rumours of last-minute entry, drew large crowds to multiple gates. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against the stadium authorities, the organising bodies (Karnataka State Cricket Association - KSCA, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the event management firm), citing negligence and poor crowd control.
The tragedy sparked major criticism of stadium safety, crowd-management practices, and last-minute planning. The incident is now widely regarded as one of the worst fan-related disasters in Indian cricket.
The stadium has not hosted any matches since the stampede on June 4 -- effectively, its hosting rights were suspended in the immediate aftermath. The state government has ordered a full structural-safety audit before granting permission to host any further high-capacity events (like IPL, international or major domestic matches) at Chinnaswamy.
--IANS
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