In a fiery address during the Motion of Thanks on the President's speech in the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and Member of Parliament Akhilesh Yadav raised serious concerns about the Mahakumbh stampede casualties, demanding the release of "correct" data on the deaths. He accused the government of hiding the true death count and questioned why the public had not been informed of the accurate numbers.
Yadav lashed out at the Uttar Pradesh government, asserting that instead of focusing on the necessary arrangements for the Mahakumbh, the administration had been more interested in promoting the event through advertisements. He slammed the claims of the BJP government, which had touted plans to accommodate 100 crore devotees, pointing out that the 'Amrit Snan' was conducted late, breaking a long-standing tradition. He also pointed to the failure of the "Khoya-Paaya" centers, which were supposed to assist those lost in the crowd, but ultimately fell short of their duty. Yadav suggested that the government's attempts to cover up the magnitude of the disaster were evident.
"The government used JCBs to destroy evidence," said Yadav, criticizing the lack of accountability surrounding the tragic incident. He described how many pilgrims arrived at the Mahakumbh in search of spiritual solace, only to leave with the bodies of their loved ones. Meanwhile, the state government was seen showering flower petals after the casualties, a display that Yadav deemed inappropriate and disrespectful.
The SP leader further demanded that the government hold an all-party meeting to discuss the tragedy and that a two-minute silence be observed in honor of the victims. In a call for better security at such events, Yadav insisted that the Mahakumbh security be handed over to the Army to prevent further mishaps.
Turning his attention to national issues, Yadav accused the central government of mishandling the growing threat from China. "We are losing our land to China. Not only our land, but they are also snatching our market," Yadav claimed, stressing the importance of addressing the nation's security concerns.
On a positive note, Yadav also took the opportunity to laud the Samajwadi Party's previous administration, highlighting the introduction of the metro train system in Uttar Pradesh, which he credited as a significant achievement of his government.
