Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh for their handling of the Mahakumbh event, noting that the lives lost were overlooked in BJP leaders' remarks praising the event. Yadav suggested that a two-minute silence should have been observed for the deceased. Thirty people died in a stampede at the Sangam area during the Mahakumbh on January 29, and 18 others perished in a stampede at New Delhi railway station earlier this month.
"Why not two minutes of silence? While celebrating the Mahakumbh, a few words for the dead and missing should have been included. Hiding the truth shows 'guilt'," Yadav posted on X. He expressed his concerns regarding the stampede in the Lok Sabha, and SP members raised the issue in the Uttar Pradesh assembly.
Earlier, on February 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflected on the conclusion of the Mahakumbh, calling it a "Maha Yagya of unity." He praised the unity of the 140 crore citizens who participated in the 45-day event in Prayagraj. "The Mahakumbh has concluded... the Maha Yagya of unity has been completed. The faith of 140 crore countrymen came together for 45 days at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, overwhelming!" PM Modi wrote on X.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also emphasized the arrangements for the Mahakumbh, reporting over 66.30 crore visitors. He announced the creation of five new spiritual tourism corridors linking Prayagraj with key destinations like Mirzapur, Kashi, Gorakhpur, Chitrakoot, Lucknow, Naimisharanya, and Mathura-Vrindavan.
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CM Yogi praised PM Modi's vision for leveraging spiritual tourism, asserting that Uttar Pradesh is poised to become a hub for it. The Mahakumbh 2025 concluded on Wednesday, coinciding with Maha Shivratri, marking a significant event filled with spiritual unity and divine energy. The Chief Minister noted that over 66 crore devotees benefited from bathing in the holy Triveni during the Mahakumbh, which ran from January 13, Paush Purnima, to February 26, Maha Shivratri, in Prayagraj.