As the Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s budget session commenced, Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders staged a protest in front of the legislative assembly, condemning the deaths that occurred during the Mahakumbh stampede. One SP leader even symbolically carried the ‘ashes’ of the government’s ethics to express disapproval of the administration’s handling of the incident.
SP leader Ashutosh Sinha criticized the Uttar Pradesh government for its mismanagement during the Mahakumbh, which led to the loss of many lives. “The government organized the Mahakumbh, but due to its mismanagement, several lives were lost. However, the government refuses to reveal the number of deaths. They announce daily statistics about how many people bathed, but they won’t release the death count,” Sinha told ANI.
He added, “We have brought the ashes of the government’s ethics because they are dead. We are presenting them at the temple of politics here (the state legislative assembly).”
Sinha further criticized the government for its claims about the Mahakumbh and the lack of transparency surrounding the stampede. “The government had made many public claims about the Mahakumbh, but it has failed miserably. Despite calling it a ‘digital kumbh,’ the government still hasn’t released the death toll from the Mauni Amavasya stampede.”
SP leader Ravidas Mehrotra also expressed discontent, stating that they would continue their protests during the Governor’s address, as they believe the government will falsely praise its achievements. “This government has failed on all fronts,” Mehrotra said. He also accused the government of leaking exam papers and now allegedly leaking the Governor’s speech.
On the other hand, Uttar Pradesh BJP ministers praised the upcoming state budget, which is yet to be introduced. UP Cabinet Minister OP Rajbhar described it as the “biggest budget to date.” He emphasized that the central government’s budget was beneficial for all sections of society, including farmers and youth, and assured that the state’s budget would follow a similar path of prosperity and development.
Regarding the opposition’s protest, Rajbhar stated, “The opposition’s job is to oppose, and our job is to focus on development. Let them oppose, we are committed to our work.”
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak also expressed confidence in the government’s progress. “Today marks the beginning of the budget session. Our government is dedicated to the state’s development, and various important topics will be discussed during the session,” Pathak added.
