Lucknow, June 5 : Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) President, O.P. Rajbhar, on Thursday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic stampede that occurred during the victory event of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), which left 11 people dead and several others injured.

Speaking to IANS, O.P. Rajbhar said, 'It is a very unfortunate incident. The exact reasons behind the stampede are under investigation. We, along with our party, express our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. The truth behind the incident will only come to light after a thorough enquiry.'

Describing the chaos, Rajbhar added, 'No one anticipated that such a massive crowd would gather. Everyone was celebrating the RCB's victory when the stampede occurred. The news of the tragedy only became clear once the crowd began to disperse. As soon as the administration was informed, all other scheduled programmes were immediately postponed. The government, leaders, and officials swiftly got involved in rescue operations. The injured were rushed to the hospital, while efforts began for the last rites of those who succumbed.'

Rajbhar reacted to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement on not drawing comparisons with other tragedies such as the Kumbh Mela stampede.

Siddaramaiah had earlier said, 'I am not going to justify this incident by comparing it with stampedes elsewhere. Yes, similar incidents have happened, like in the Kumbh Mela, where 50'60 people died, but I didn't criticise it then. If the Congress chooses to criticise now, that is their choice. Did I or the Karnataka government criticise it back then'?

Echoing Siddaramaiah's remarks, Rajbhar said, 'Criticism is one thing, but acceptance and responsibility are another. The crowd was larger than expected. That should be acknowledged. Our security arrangements were not sufficient to manage the overwhelming turnout, and that led to this unfortunate incident.'

Rajbhar also commented on recent remarks made by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in relation to 'Operation Sindoor' and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tharoor had defended India's stance during the India-Pakistan tensions, refuting LoP Gandhi's 'Narendra Surrender' remark, and stating that there was no third-party intervention in the conflict.

Tharoor said, 'India didn't need to be persuaded to stop. We had made it clear that if Pakistan stops, we are ready to stop too. The US telling Pakistan to stop wasn't pressure on India ' it was simply relaying that we were ready for peace. It was a helpful move, not an imposition.'

Responding to this, Rajbhar said, 'Shashi Tharoor is speaking the truth. When someone goes abroad and understands the situation from close quarters, they begin to see the full picture. Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, always tries to portray India negatively on global platforms. It seems as if the leaders of the Opposition have drunk water from Pakistan, and the effect of that mindset still lingers.'

When asked about the Opposition's demand for a special session of Parliament to discuss the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and 'Operation Sindoor', Rajbhar dismissed the criticism, stating, 'When has the government ever run away from discussions'?

/IANS