Mon Feb 03 11:08:13 IST 2025: ## Parliament in Uproar Over Prayagraj Stampede Deaths
**New Delhi, February 3, 2025** – India’s Parliament descended into chaos today as opposition MPs protested the death toll from a stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj last week. At least 30 people were killed in the incident, but opposition parties allege the actual number is significantly higher and that the Uttar Pradesh state government is concealing the truth.
Shouting “Kumbh pe jawab do” (Answer about the Kumbh), opposition members stormed the well of the Lok Sabha, demanding the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and a full accounting of the victims. They accused the government of failing to provide accurate information in the aftermath of the tragedy, noting that the official death toll was only confirmed hours after the stampede.
The disruptions follow similar protests on Saturday during the presentation of the Union Budget 2025, led by Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. Yadav, speaking before the budget presentation, criticized the government’s handling of the situation, stating that “people in Maha Kumbh are still looking for their relatives…many people died but the government has failed to provide the numbers of dead and those who are missing.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed for order, but their pleas were largely ignored. Despite the chaos, the last “amrit snan” (holy dip) of the Maha Kumbh took place this morning, with tens of thousands of devotees participating. Authorities, including Deputy Inspector General of Police Vaibhav Krishna, assured that additional security forces had been deployed to manage the crowds. Krishna stated that the event was proceeding smoothly. The opposition’s calls for accountability, however, continue to disrupt parliamentary proceedings.
First Piper 