Kolkata, February 18, 2025: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticized the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, alleging that the Maha Kumbh had turned into a “Mrityu Kumbh” due to multiple stampede incidents. She accused authorities of suppressing the actual death toll and failing to ensure public safety.
Allegations of Cover-Up
At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in a stampede in Prayagraj last month. Another 18 people died in a similar tragedy at an overcrowded railway station in New Delhi. However, Banerjee claimed that the actual numbers were much higher.
“They have hidden hundreds of bodies to lower the official toll. The Maha Kumbh has turned into a ‘Mrityu Kumbh’ under BJP rule,” she said in the West Bengal Assembly.
Lack of Proper Arrangements
Banerjee called the stampede “heartbreaking” and stressed the need for better planning at large religious gatherings. She accused the Uttar Pradesh government of focusing on publicity rather than ensuring proper arrangements for the event.
“So many people died, yet they are not revealing the true numbers. They created massive hype around the event but failed to ensure basic crowd management,” she stated.
Neglect of Victims’ Families
The Chief Minister also highlighted the plight of West Bengal residents who died in the stampede. She alleged that their bodies were sent back without proper documentation, making it difficult for families to claim compensation.
“We conducted post-mortems in Bengal so that families could get death certificates,” she said.
Criticism of VIP Culture
Banerjee also slammed the VIP treatment at the Maha Kumbh.
“While I avoided a holy dip to prevent inconvenience to common people, VIPs were given special privileges at the event,” she noted.
Demand for Investigation
She criticized the Uttar Pradesh government for failing to set up an investigation panel after the stampede. She compared it to West Bengal, where probe committees are formed after similar incidents.
