Belagavi, Dec 11 (LatestNewsX) – Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister, D. K. Shivakumar, told reporters that he is open to the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s (KSCA) request to stage international and IPL games at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
He made the remark while answering questions from the media near Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and Circuit House in Belagavi on Thursday.
When asked whether the cabinet would review the plea submitted by KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad after their meeting, Shivakumar replied:
"The new KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad met me and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He has submitted a request, and we will discuss it in the cabinet meeting."
Regarding the recent tragedy, the Deputy Chief Minister added,
"The accident near Chinnaswamy Stadium should not have happened. But it did. Many lapses occurred. These must be rectified, and crowd management should be done as per separate guidelines," stressing that the venue has been closed to events since the June 4 stampede that claimed 11 lives.
He emphasized that the state’s reputation should not be tarnished, saying,
"Personally, I am very open-minded about this matter. We should not allow the reputation of our state to be damaged. We will place this matter before the cabinet and then take a decision," and that the new KSCA President, former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad, had already met with him and the Chief Minister to present their proposal.
Shivakumar continued,
"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,".
Finally, he pointed out that any shift of IPL or other fixtures out of Bengaluru would not be permitted, stating,
"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," adding that further steps would be taken at the cabinet level.
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