STATE TIMES NEWS
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday lambasted opposition parties for their critical statements on the Maha Kumbh, saying their attempts to “malign” the event with false narratives and disrespect Sanatan Dharma will not be tolerated.
Speaking in the state assembly, he said the Maha Kumbh was not just a religious event but a symbol of India’s cultural and spiritual heritage but the opposition has been spreading “false propaganda”, disregarding its significance.
Adityanath assured full support to the devotees affected by the January 29 Maha Kumbh stampede and related road accidents in Prayagraj, while accusing opposition parties, particularly the Samajwadi Party (SP), of politicising the tragedy.
They are trying to “mislead people”, but the state’s BJP government is committed to making the event historic and grand, he said.
“Sanatan Dharma is the soul of India, and it is our duty to uphold its dignity. The opposition’s attempts to malign the Maha Kumbh with false narratives will not be tolerated,” he said on the second day of the Budget Session.
Responding to statements made by opposition leaders in the Assembly, he said they are trying to disrupt the sacred event with baseless allegations. He accused parties like the Samajwadi Party of attempting to create a confusion among the masses.
Right since the beginning of Maha Kumbh, he said, the opposition has been against it and is spreading baseless rumours. “They are distorting facts and calling the event a waste of money”.
Instead of discussing issues related to the event in the Assembly, they chose to disrupt the session, he said.
Citing social media posts made by opposition leaders, he said their statements reflect their mindset and values. No civilised society could accept such language, he said.
“The Maha Kumbh is not a new event but a tradition rooted in Vedic scriptures such as the Rigveda, Atharvaveda, and Shrimad Bhagwat Purana,” he stressed.
The Maha Kumbh is the soul of Indian culture and viewing it through a narrow political lens is inappropriate, he said.
Referring to specific opposition leaders, Adityanath said SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had questioned the scale and expenditure of the Maha Kumbh. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had “falsely” claimed “thousands” died in the stampede. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee called it “Mrityu Kumbh,” or Kumbh of Death, he said.
Jaya Bachchan of the SP alleged dead bodies were thrown into the Ganga, and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav dismissed the event as useless, Adityanath said.
These “irresponsible statements” are “a direct insult to Sanatan Dharma’s biggest event”, he said.
He reaffirmed that his “government had made every effort to make the Maha Kumbh a remarkable event,” and so far, over 56 crore devotees have taken the holy dip. Further taking a jibe at the opposition, he said those who opposed the Maha Kumbh initially, quietly came and take a dip at the Sangam. “A sick person could be treated, but a sick mindset could not be.”
He said that in 2013, when the Samajwadi Party was in power, their own leaders were stopped from visiting Prayagraj, but this time, they visited and even praised the arrangements made by the current administration.
He also said that protecting Sanatan Dharma ensures the well-being of humanity. People from all communities were participating in the Maha Kumbh with devotion, he said. Even cricketer Mohammed Shami (apparently referring to cricketer Mohammed Kaif) had taken a dip in the holy river, so why were opposition leaders protesting, he questioned.
He asserted that before 2017, Uttar Pradesh had a negative image, but the double-engine BJP government had transformed the state. “Today, UP is known for development, law and order, and cultural preservation. The Maha Kumbh is a shining example of this transformation, and the world is watching with respect.”
He expressed pride that this grand event was happening under his government, and assured that it would be executed with full dedication, and would not tolerate any negligence in its execution.
During the second day of the budget session, SP members, led by Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey, demanded a discussion under Rule 56, alleging mismanagement at the Maha Kumbh.
SP legislator R K Verma claimed the government under-reported the deaths in the stampede by acknowledging only 30 fatalities. Congress leader Aradhana Mishra Mona echoed similar views.
Responding to the opposition, Adityanath paid tributes to the deceased and reiterated the government’s commitment to assisting affected families.”Our condolences are with them. But is it appropriate to politicise this issue?” he questioned.
He accused opposition leaders of spreading misinformation, linking unrelated incidents from Cairo, Nepal, and Jharkhand to create panic.
Emphasising that the Maha Kumbh is a societal event, not a political one, he said,
“The government is merely a facilitator. We will continue to serve with dedication, honouring our Sanatan traditions.”
He also hit back at opposition leaders for taking at jibe at him for reciting a poem in the assembly using Urdu words, and said it was in Hindi, not Urdu. He accused the SP of opposing the promotion of regional dialects in the assembly. “Opposing every good initiative is part of the socialist mindset,” he said.
He said while Hindi is official language, members are free to speak in dialects like Bhojpuri, Braj, Awadhi, and Bundelkhandi, all of which use the Devanagari script.
“It is well-known about today’s socialists that they bite the very hand that feeds them,” he said.