Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath strongly rebuked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks on the recent Maha Kumbh tragedy, calling her statements an affront to the faith of millions.
Adityanath slams ‘baseless allegations’
In a fiery response to Mamata Banerjee’s critical comments on the Maha Kumbh tragedy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hit back, terming her allegations “baseless” and an insult to the faith of millions who participated in the religious event.
The Bengal CM had earlier called the Maha Kumbh a “Mrityu Kumbh” while criticizing the tragic stampede on January 29 that claimed 30 lives. Speaking in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Adityanath emphasized that over 56 crore devotees had participated in the sacred event at the Sangam and accused Banerjee of politicizing the issue.
“Making such baseless allegations is like playing with the faith of these 56 crore people,” Adityanath remarked. He also extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident and assured government support to the affected families.
‘Politicizing a tragedy is inappropriate,’ says UP CM
Expressing discontent over the politicization of the tragedy, the UP CM questioned the intent behind Banerjee’s remarks. “How is it appropriate to politicize this? The country and the world have participated in this sacred event, dismissing all false narratives,” he asserted.
Adityanath further claimed that it was the “good fortune” of his government to be associated with what he termed “the Maha Kumbh of the century.”
BJP leaders rally behind Adityanath
Joining the counterattack, Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal accused Mamata Banerjee of indulging in “appeasement politics” and claimed that her statements were reflective of an “atheist mindset.”
“They give only shameful statements,” Jaiswal said, underscoring BJP’s firm stance against Banerjee’s comments.
Mamata Banerjee’s sharp critique
The West Bengal Chief Minister had earlier questioned the BJP-led UP government’s response to the tragedy, particularly the failure to recover all 30 bodies.
“I respect the Maha Kumbh and Ganga Maa, but there is no planning. How many bodies have been recovered?” she asked in the Bengal Assembly.
She also criticized the lack of facilities for the poor at the event. “For VIPs, there are arrangements where they can get tents by paying Rs 1 lakh. But for the poor, no proper arrangements are made. A stampede can happen in large public gatherings, but planning is crucial. What planning did you make?” she asked.
Political tensions rise ahead of Bengal elections
This exchange of heated words comes as tensions escalate between the BJP and Mamata Banerjee ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. The two sides have also clashed recently over the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital.
With the political battle intensifying, the Maha Kumbh tragedy has become yet another flashpoint in the ongoing war of words between the ruling party in Bengal and the BJP.