West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of concealing the actual death toll in the tragic stampede at the Maha Kumbh. Addressing a press conference after the state budget presentation in the West Bengal Assembly, Banerjee criticized the Yogi Adityanath-led administration for its alleged mismanagement of the grand religious event in Prayagraj.
“So many people died in the Maha Kumbh incident, but they are not releasing the correct death toll. They have created such hype that a large number of people visited Maha Kumbh, but there were no proper arrangements made at the venue,” she claimed.
The stampede occurred in the early hours of January 29, as millions of devotees gathered for the sacred Mauni Amavasya dip at the holy Sangam. The Uttar Pradesh government has officially reported 30 deaths and 60 injuries due to the chaos that unfolded between 1 AM and 2 AM.
However, Banerjee is not the only political leader questioning the government’s handling of the tragedy. Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has also alleged a cover-up, demanding strict action against those responsible for the mismanagement.
“Those who guaranteed a digital Kumbh are unable to give the digits of the people who died during the stampede. On one hand, these people don’t get tired of ranting digital, digital, digital, but the same government is not able to give digits of the deaths,” Yadav remarked in Parliament.