Mon Feb 24 12:40:39 UTC 2025: ## Uttar Pradesh CM Defends Maha Kumbh Amidst Opposition Criticism

**Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh:** Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a scathing attack on the opposition in the state assembly, defending the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela against mounting criticism. His remarks come days before the Kumbh’s grand finale and follow a series of controversies, including a stampede that claimed 18 lives and reports of unsanitary conditions.

Adityanath dismissed opposition concerns, claiming the Kumbh caters to diverse needs: “Vultures got dead bodies, pigs got filth… while sensitive people found beautiful relationships, traders found business, and devotees found clean arrangements,” he stated, directly targeting the opposition’s focus on negative aspects of the event.

He rejected accusations of caste discrimination, asserting that anyone with good intentions was welcome but those seeking to create chaos would face consequences. He further contrasted his own active involvement in overseeing the Kumbh with the alleged negligence of previous administrations, specifically targeting former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his reported appointment of a non-Sanatani official to manage the Kumbh during his tenure. Adityanath highlighted perceived shortcomings during the 2013 Kumbh, citing reports of chaos, corruption, pollution, and even a foreign dignitary refusing to bathe in the polluted waters of the Sangam.

The opposition’s criticism has been vociferous. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s comments about Kumbh deaths sparked parliamentary uproar, while Samajwadi Party leader Jaya Bachchan alleged that bodies were being discarded in the river. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee further fueled the controversy, referring to the event as “Mrityu Kumbh” (Kumbh of Death), a remark supported by the Shankaracharya of Uttarakhand’s Jyotish Peeth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also weighed in recently, equating critics of the Maha Kumbh to foreign powers seeking to weaken India and those with a “slave mentality.” He accused them of mocking religion and dividing the people.

Read More