Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticized opposition leaders in a speech prior to the Maha Kumbh’s finale, defending the event against their criticisms, particularly following a stampede that resulted in 18 deaths. He emphasized that the Kumbh offers diverse benefits to different groups, contrasting past mismanagement with his government’s efforts to ensure cleanliness and order. Adityanath dismissed claims of caste-based exclusion and cited prior chaos under previous leadership. Prime Minister Modi also weighed in, suggesting critics of the Kumbh have a “slave mentality” and likening their actions to foreign attempts to undermine the nation.
New Delhi:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, just days before the grand conclusion of the Maha Kumbh, delivered a pointed address at the state assembly aimed at his critics. He stated that Kumbh serves as a place where individuals discover everything they desire.
“Vultures feast on dead bodies. Pigs wallow in dirt… while compassionate individuals find a beautiful display of relationships, traders discover business opportunities, and devotees enjoy organized arrangements,” he remarked.
This statement was directed at the Opposition, whose members have closely scrutinized the Kumbh, especially following a tragic stampede that resulted in 18 fatalities and numerous injuries.
“You (the opposition) claimed that a certain caste was barred from attending. No caste was prohibited. Anyone with sincere intentions is welcome at Kumbh, but those with malicious intent will undoubtedly face consequences if they attempt to disrupt the Kumbh,” Yogi Adityanath stated further.
“We have not manipulated faith as you have. During your tenure, the chief minister was too preoccupied to observe or manage the event, which led to the appointment of a non-Sanatani to oversee Kumbh,” he emphasized, targeting Samajwadi Party head Akhilesh Yadav during his time as Chief Minister.
“However, I have been personally reviewing the Kumbh preparations and continue to do so. This is why those who attended the Kumbh in 2013 encountered chaos, corruption, and pollution. The water in the Triveni of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati was unfit for bathing. The Prime Minister of Mauritius is a testament to this, having declined to take a bath,” he added.
Beginning with the stampede earlier this month that resulted in 18 deaths and reports of fecal matter in the Sangam waters, the Opposition has utilized the Kumbh as a focal point to criticize the government.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge initiated the conversation with his “tributes to the thousands who died in Kumbh,” igniting a stir in parliament. Samajwadi Party representative Jaya Bachchan accused officials of “throwing the bodies of the Mahakumbh stampede victims into the river.”
Shortly after, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ignited further controversy by labeling the large religious assembly as “Mrityu Kumbh.” Her comments received backing from even the Shankaracharya of Uttarakhand’s Jyotish Peeth.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the critics of the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela, likening them to “foreign entities aiming to undermine the nation” and asserting that they possess a “slave mentality.”
While speaking at a public event in Madhya Pradesh, he remarked, “Nowadays, there exists a faction of leaders who mock and belittle religion, engage in divisive tactics, and often foreign powers attempt to weaken both the nation and religion by supporting these individuals… Those who harbor animosity towards Hindu faith have existed in various forms for centuries. Those trapped in a slave mentality persistently attack our faith, beliefs, temples, religion, culture, and values.”