Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has called for transparency regarding the deaths in the Mahakumbh stampede, urging the government to provide accurate data on the fatalities, the treatment of the injured, and the overall arrangements made for the event.
Speaking during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address, Akhilesh stressed the need for an all-party meeting to clarify the situation. He proposed that disaster management and the lost and found centre be handed over to the Army for better coordination. “While the government continues to share budgetary figures, it must also provide accurate statistics on the number of deaths in the Mahakumbh stampede. I demand an all-party meeting to clarify the arrangements made for the event. The Army should take responsibility for disaster management and the lost and found centre. The government should also present the figures related to the deaths, the treatment of the injured, the availability of medicines, doctors, food, water, and transportation in Parliament,” he said.
Yadav also called for strict action against those responsible for the tragedy and those who attempted to hide the facts, questioning the government’s decision to suppress the numbers. “There should be strict punitive action against those responsible for the tragedy, and those who concealed the truth should be punished. If there was no wrongdoing, why were the figures hidden, suppressed, and erased?” he demanded.
Describing the situation as deeply tragic, Akhilesh added, “Log punye kamane aaye the aur apno ke shav lekar gaye hai (People came to earn merit, but they left with the bodies of their loved ones).”
He intensified his criticism of the Uttar Pradesh government, stating that political campaigning took precedence over proper arrangements for the event. “It is disgraceful and condemnable to use a religious gathering for political campaigning, especially under a double-engine government. It was promised that the Mahakumbh would be organized digitally with modern technology like CCTV, drones, and live streaming. However, those who claimed to organize a digital Kumbh could not even provide digital records of the deceased,” he said.
Akhilesh also highlighted the government’s failure to acknowledge the severity of the situation, pointing out that while the bodies of the victims were found, the government had not yet taken responsibility. “When the news of the deaths broke, what did the government do? They used helicopters to shower flowers. Is this what our Sanatan tradition teaches us?” he questioned.
He also criticized Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his delayed response. “Our Chief Minister didn’t even express condolences. When the President and Prime Minister of the country offered their condolences, the government took 17 hours to acknowledge it,” he added.
The stampede occurred during the second Shahi Snan on Mouni Amawasya at the Mahakumbh Mela, resulting in at least 30 deaths and about 60 injuries. Several opposition leaders have raised concerns about the government’s handling of the tragic incident during the Mauni Amavasya bathing ritual.
