'Highest number of deaths reported in this Kumbh': Akhilesh Yadav backs Mamata's 'Mrityu Kumbh' remark

Akhilesh Yadav

A day after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for failing to make adequate arrangements for the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj by terming it as 'Mrityu Kumbh', former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday echoed similar concerns regarding the arrangement in what is widely regarded as the world's largest religious gathering.

"This is the 'Mrityu' (death) Kumbh... I respect the Maha Kumbh, and I respect Ganga maa... but there is no planning. How many people's bodies have been recovered?" she asked while addressing the Bengal Assembly.

"For the rich, the VIPs... there are systems available to get tents after paying as much as Rs 1 lakh. But for the poor, there are no arrangements made. A stampede situation can happen in large public gatherings, yes. But it is important to make arrangements. What planning did you (the BJP) make?" the Trinamool Congress chief remarked in the Bengal Assembly.

"Who was responsible of making arrangements? When CM said that arrangements for 100 crore people have been made, people became more confident. When he invited celebrities and other noted personalities, people were confident that arrangements would be good," Yadav remarked while speaking to ANI in Lucknow.

Thirty people, over half of whom were women and children, were killed in the stampede on January 29. Since then, the opposition, led by Samajwadi Party boss Akhilesh Yadav, has been relentlessly attacking the BJP, demanding a list of those who died and accountability. Meanwhile, the SP chief on Saturday urged the Uttar Pradesh government to extend the duration of the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela.

The ongoing Maha kumbh is being held at the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, started with the first major 'snaan' on January 13 on the occasion of Paush Purnima and will conclude on February 26 on the occasion of Mahashivratri.