The Karnataka government’s removal of MLC K Govindraj from his post as Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, along with the suspension and transfer of top police officials including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and Intelligence Chief Hemanth Nimbalkar, signals a deepening fallout from the tragic stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives.
While the official government notification regarding Govindraj’s ouster gave no reason, it's clear these actions are part of a wider damage-control operation following public outrage over the mismanagement of the RCB IPL victory event. The state appears to be attempting to project accountability and swift administrative response.
However, the move has backfired politically and publicly, particularly the suspension of Dayananda, which has triggered a groundswell of backlash:
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#IStandWithBDayanand has trended across social media, with citizens, former IPS officers, and political commentators defending the Commissioner.
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Former police commissioners Megharikh and Bhaskar Rao publicly condemned the suspension. Rao went so far as to label it “the darkest day in the history of Karnataka Police,” indirectly accusing Deputy CM DK Shivakumar of being responsible.
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The BJP has used the controversy to launch a sharp political attack, calling the decision “cold-blooded punishment” of a competent officer and accusing the government of scapegoating the police.
Meanwhile, KSCA (Karnataka State Cricket Association) and RCB have also come under scrutiny. The CID probe is underway, but the narrative is quickly shifting from administrative accountability to political blame games and image management.
This development now places Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s leadership under close watch, with critics asking whether sacrificing senior officers and aides will actually address systemic issues, or merely deflect attention from the state’s own lapses in planning and crowd control.
