Minister calls UP floods 'Ganga's blessings’; villager replies - ‘Stay here and take blessings with us’

UP Minister Sanjay Nishad visits flood-hit areas in Kanpur Dehat amid backlash over his ‘Ganga’s blessings’ remark.

As Uttar Pradesh endures widespread flooding and severe waterlogging, particularly in Ganga-adjacent districts, remarks made by state cabinet minister Sanjay Nishad have ignited a storm of criticism and debate, The Indian Express reported.

During his visit to flood-affected villages in Kanpur Dehat on Monday, Nishad, who also heads the Nishad Party, told residents that as “Ganga’s children”, the river had arrived at their doorsteps to “clean their feet” and that such an act would “take you directly to heaven.”

A video of the minister’s comments was quickly circulated on social media, intensifying local dismay as villagers sought urgent action to tackle the inundation rather than spiritual reassurance.

The Indian Express noted that while a woman from the government team attempted to explain the minister’s statements to an elderly woman in the area, her pointed retort, inviting her stay there with them and “take the blessings of Ganga yourself”, underscored the rising frustration among those grappling with flood-induced hardships.

Nishad defended his comments, describing the ongoing flooding as a natural calamity and emphasising that the government was making every effort to provide assistance, such as distributing cooked food and essential supplies.

He explained, “It is a natural calamity and the government is doing everything it can to help people.

We are giving food packets, cooked food as well, but one needs to highlight positive thoughts to them also and that is what I did.

We cannot stop water and this is not a one day or one-year problem. I was trying to give them emotional support.”

According to The Indian Express, Nishad further insisted that fostering “positive thinking and hope” was a crucial part of the government’s response, warning that failure to do so could leave space for “negativity” from opposition quarters.