‘1,000 Hindus still missing’: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav makes big claim, attacks Centre & CM Yogi over Maha Kumbh arrangements | India News
NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday raised serious concerns over the Maha Kumbh mela, questioning the arrangements and demanding answers from the BJP government.
The SP chief claimed that nearly 1,000 Hindus are still missing after the grand religious gathering in Prayagraj and accused the Uttar Pradesh government of not doing enough to locate them.
Speaking on Wednesday, Yadav criticised the government. “It is a good thing that we all remember Maha Kumbh and Kumbh again and again… The biggest question is how much budget did the Government of India give for organising Maha Kumbh? The Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were only making arrangements for where the vehicles would be parked. People were being stopped, they were not being allowed to enter the border,” he said.
‘Posters of missing being removed’
Yadav also urged the BJP government to assist the families of those missing. “BJP and its people should at least help the families of those devotees whose family members have been lost. Still, about 1,000 Hindus are missing. BJP should give information about the missing 1,000 Hindus to their families. There are still posters in Prayagraj. It is sad that the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh is getting those posters removed. The government should at least try to find those 1,000 Hindus who are missing,” he added.
Yadav also criticised the management and role of senior officials and police in handling the gathering. “Can anyone imagine that the CMs of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were making the arrangements for vehicle parking? Several IPS officers were stopping devotees from visiting and saying that they didn’t have proper arrangements for them,” he said.
Furthermore, he questioned the financial aspect, asking the UP government to disclose how much funding it had received from the Centre for Maha Kumbh.
PM Modi’s praise for Maha Kumbh
A day earlier, PM Modi hailed the Maha Kumbh, comparing it to the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He described the gathering of millions as a symbol of India’s national consciousness and unity. “Shedding personal egos, people embraced the spirit of ‘wayam’ (the collective We), rather than ‘mai’ (the individual I). People from diverse states became a part of the sacred Triveni,” he said.
Modi praised the efforts of the government, society, and the people of Uttar Pradesh in making the event successful. He said that Maha Kumbh represented India’s rising strength and national self-assurance. Recalling historical moments like Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address and the Dandi March, he stated that Maha Kumbh stood as another milestone in India’s journey of awakening.
However, his speech did not mention the tragic incidents during the event, including reports of stampedes and missing persons. This omission was quickly pointed out by the opposition, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was denied permission to respond immediately after Modi’s address.
After stepping out of the Lok Sabha.Rahul said: “I wanted to support what the PM said, Kumbh is our tradition, history, and culture. There was one thing the PM did not pay condolences to people who lost their lives in Kumbh.”
The Congress leader also took a swipe at Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla after he was not permitted to speak.”LoP should be given permission to speak, but I guess it is a new India,” the Congress leader said.
