Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president DK Shivakumar found himself at the centre of controversy after he sang the RSS anthem during a heated Assembly debate on the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede, which claimed 11 lives in June.
The song was sung in response to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader R Ashoka, who had demanded the resignation of Shivakumar, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Home Minister G Parameshwara, alleging government negligence and incitement of "mass frenzy" during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations.
‘I apologise if anyone was hurt’: Shivakumar
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Shivakumar clarified that his act was meant to be satirical and not an endorsement of RSS ideology.
“If anyone is hurt, I apologise... I just commented and tried to pull their (BJP) leg,” he said.
“Some are trying to misuse this politically. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I apologise to all who felt offended.”
He further reinforced his political identity, adding, “My loyalty to Congress and the Gandhi family cannot be questioned. I am a born Congressman, and I will die as one.”
BK Hariprasad demands apology, cites Gandhi assassination
Senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad, speaking to reporters in Delhi, criticised Shivakumar’s action and called for a formal apology. “There’s no objection if he sings the RSS anthem as Deputy CM, but not as the Congress president,” Hariprasad said.
“The RSS was responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. In that context, the act is inappropriate.”
He warned that such gestures could send a wrong message, especially given Shivakumar's prominent political standing. Home Minister G Parameshwara declined to comment directly on the issue, instead deferring to the Congress high command. “The high command watches everything. If they feel it's wrong, they will act. If they see it as a contextual reference, they may ignore it,” he told ANI.
What happened at Chinnaswamy Stadium
The stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium occurred during celebratory events for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), leading to massive public outrage. The opposition BJP has since held the Congress-led state government accountable for mismanagement.
