Belagavi, Dec 11 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister, stated that he is open-minded about the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) request to organise international and IPL matches in Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Shivakumar made the statement while responding to questions from the media near the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha and Circuit House in Belagavi on Thursday.

When asked whether the cabinet would discuss the request submitted by Venkatesh Prasad, President of the KSCA, after meeting him, Shivakumar said, “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.”

“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,” he said.

The stadium has not hosted any matches since the stampede on June 4, in which 11 people were killed.

“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,” he stated.

The newly elected KSCA President, former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad and other office-bearers met him in Belagavi. They had also met the CM and had submitted a request.

“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,” Shivakumar had said.

“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,” he stated.

–IANS

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