N Ramchander Rao, the senior Indian justice BJP leader, has praised the Maha Kumbh 2025 as a grand success and a deep cultural and religious significance. India’s spiritual heritage was a point he wanted to emphasise in the event, which is held once every 12 years, he said. “Maha Kumbh is a rare event in which people of all castes and religions, from all over the country and even from the continent, gather. Coming after 144 years, this particular Mahakumbh has the importance of being a centre of faith in the Indian culture and religion,” he added.
Backing the arrangements made for the event, Rao brushed off the opposition party criticism, saying there were a few unfortunate incidents, but overall, the event was well organized. Leaders from Congress and Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister, have been accused of spreading misinformation by him. Despite all this, many political parties, including Congress, have tried to mislead people about the event. Rao asserted that Congress should understand that the people of this country have rejected them, as Congress has lost the true spirit of nationalism.
Yet opposition leaders have mounted a sharp criticism of the government in the manner in which it handled the event in the wake of the tragic stampede at the Mahakumbh Mela on Mauni Amavasya in which 30 people died. The government could not disclose the actual number of casualties, charged former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. He also claimed that the bulk of the space of the event had been reserved for VIPs, with minimum space left over for the public at large.
Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal CM, only poured fuel to the fire when she labelled the Maha Kumbh “Mrityukumbh” during her speech in the State Assembly, blamed the government for poor arrangements and the subsequent stampedes in Prayagraj and at New Delhi Railway Station, on January 29 and February 15, respectively. Suvendu Adhikari then led BJP MLA protests as his remarks triggered protests.
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