Tue Mar 18 13:41:51 UTC 2025: **Center Denies Inquiry into Maha Kumbh Stampede, Sparking Political Row**

NEW DELHI – Six weeks after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, the Indian government has confirmed it conducted no independent inquiry into the incident and possesses no central data on casualties. Junior Home Minister Nityanand Rai stated in the Lok Sabha that investigating disasters and providing aid to affected families falls under the purview of state governments.

While senior UP police officer Vaibhav Krishna reported at least 30 deaths and 60 injuries, the central government maintains it does not keep centralized records of such events. Mr. Rai emphasized that “public order” and “police,” key aspects of crowd management and disaster prevention, are state subjects. He added that the National Disaster Management Authority and the Bureau of Police Research and Development had issued guidelines on crowd management, advising all states and union territories to develop their own Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The lack of a central inquiry has fueled a political firestorm. Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress, have heavily criticized the government’s response. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav linked the incident to a massive traffic jam, questioning the government’s competence. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the event as a “Mrityu (death) Kumbh,” echoing concerns over the lack of information on the number of fatalities.

The controversy further intensified after Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the success of the Maha Kumbh in Parliament, omitting any mention of the stampede victims. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi criticized this omission, sparking further debate over the government’s handling of the tragedy. While acknowledging the cultural significance of the Kumbh Mela, opposition members focused on the need for accountability and transparency regarding the incident’s casualties and the government’s response.

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