Akhilesh Yadav Slams Government Over Kumbh Stampede Cover-Up, Demands Transparency and Action
New Delhi,04-02-2025: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of concealing the actual death toll from the tragic stampede at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, Yadav alleged that while the government boasted of organizing a “digital Kumbh,” it was simultaneously suppressing the “digits of the dead.”
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister demanded an all-party meeting to review the arrangements for the Kumbh Mela and urged that disaster management and the Lost and Found Centre be handed over to the Army for better control in future events.
“The government is quick to highlight budget figures, but where are the numbers of those who lost their lives at the Kumbh?” Yadav questioned, calling for complete transparency on the casualties, injuries, medical aid, and overall arrangements.
Yadav accused the authorities of mishandling the situation and attempting a cover-up instead of taking accountability for the lapses. He insisted that disciplinary action be taken against officials who allegedly suppressed information about the disaster.
“The figures related to deaths, injuries, availability of medical facilities, food, water, transport, and overall preparedness should be laid before Parliament,” Yadav asserted.
He further criticized the government for allegedly forcing seers to delay the ‘Shahi Snan’ (royal bath), which is a significant ritual determined by planetary alignments.
“The government’s directive to postpone the ‘Shahi Snan’ was an outright violation of Sanatan Dharma traditions. Only after widespread outrage did they backtrack, forgetting that such a sacred bath must take place at the designated Mahurat (auspicious time),” he said.
Yadav made shocking claims that authorities used JCB machines and tractor trollies to remove bodies in the aftermath of the tragedy.
“People came to Prayagraj to earn blessings, but they left carrying the bodies of their loved ones. The miracle here is that while bodies were found, the government refuses to acknowledge their numbers,” he said.
The SP leader lambasted the government for its “insensitivity,” alleging that while bodies lay in mortuaries and scattered around the site, the administration was busy showering flower petals from helicopters.
“What kind of Sanatan tradition is this?” he asked.
Taking a dig at the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yadav criticized his late response to the tragedy.
“It took him 17 hours to express grief—only after the President and Prime Minister had already done so,” he remarked, questioning the lack of urgency from the state government.
Yadav’s fiery remarks have intensified the political debate over the handling of the Kumbh Mela tragedy, with calls for accountability and better preparedness for future events.
