Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently addressed critics in a pointed speech in the state assembly, just days before the conclusion of the Maha Kumbh.
He described the Kumbh as a place where people find what they seek, albeit with biting analogies. "Vultures got dead bodies, pigs got filth, whereas sensitive people saw beautiful relationships, traders found business opportunities, and devotees experienced clean arrangements," he said, targeting the opposition.
The opposition has focused particularly on the Kumbh following a tragic stampede that left 18 dead and many injured. Refuting allegations of discrimination, Yogi Adityanath claimed, "No caste was barred from attending. Anyone with good intentions should visit respectfully, but those with ill intentions seeking to create chaos will face consequences."
He criticized past administrations, specifically targeting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's tenure, alleging mismanagement during previous Kumbh events. "In your time, the chief minister did not review the event and appointed a non-Sanatani as Kumbh in-charge. But I personally oversaw the current arrangements," he asserted, contrasting it with the 2013 Kumbh which he claimed was marred by chaos and pollution.
The opposition, led by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, has capitalized on the issues surrounding the Kumbh festivities.
Kharge's comments honoring "thousands who died in Kumbh" caused outrage in parliament, while Samajwadi Party's Jaya Bachchan alleged mistreatment of stampede victims' bodies.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee further inflamed tensions by referring to the Kumbh as "Mrityu Kumbh," drawing support from the Shankaracharya of Uttarakhand's Jyotish Peeth.
Reacting to the mounting criticism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Kumbh detractors of harboring a "slave mentality" and indirectly aligning with "foreign powers who try to weaken the country."
Addressing an audience in Madhya Pradesh, Modi lamented the ridicule of religion and cultural principles by certain leaders, attributing such actions to deep-seated animosity towards the Hindu faith.