Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, took everyone by surprise when he sang the RSS anthem during a discussion in the state Assembly on the Chinnaswamy stadium stampede, which claimed the lives of 11 people.
A sudden musical note amazed the House, which heard the first few lines of the RSS Anthem ‘Namaste Sada Vatsale Matrubhoome’ as shown in a video of the proceedings. Shivakumar’s recital came when the BJP legislators accused Shivakumar of being an ‘abettor’ of the stampede as he created mass frenzy.
They alleged that Shivakumar went to receive the RCB team on their arrival at the Bengaluru airport, waved the Kannada flag throughout the journey from the airport to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Replying to the accusations on Thursday, Shivakumar said: “I am a member of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and people there, including the KSCA secretary, are my friends. I am the Bengaluru In-Charge Minister. I had gone to the Airport and Stadium (on June 4). I also held the Karnataka flag, I did wish them (RCB) and I kissed the cup as well. I have done my job”.
He added: “The incident happened. Such things have happened in other states as well. If needed, I will read out the list of incidents that have occurred in other
places as well.”