[West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Uttar Pradesh government of downplaying the death toll following a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Official reports indicate that at least 30 individuals lost their lives and around 60 sustained injuries during this tragic incident on January 29, 2025. However, Banerjee claims that these numbers are underreported and alleges an intentional suppression of information by the authorities.
“There was a significant loss of life during the Maha Kumbh event, yet accurate figures regarding fatalities have not been disclosed. The emphasis placed on promoting this gathering overshadowed essential safety measures,” Banerjee stated at a press conference held after unveiling her state budget.
Critique of Safety Measures
Banerjee expressed concern over the inadequate safety protocols implemented by the Uttar Pradesh administration for such a large-scale religious assembly. She pointed out that there were insufficient arrangements to effectively manage the substantial influx of pilgrims, implying that officials prioritized publicity over critical safety standards.
Documentation Challenges
The Chief Minister raised additional concerns regarding how deaths were recorded, particularly those affecting pilgrims from West Bengal. She alleged improper documentation associated with returning deceased residents to their families which hinders compensation efforts for bereaved relatives. “We performed post-mortem examinations to ensure families could obtain necessary death certificates,” she remarked.
Issues Related to VIP Culture
Banerjee also criticized what she identified as a “VIP culture” pervasive during the Kumbh festivities, arguing it significantly contributed to mismanagement throughout the event. She insisted that prioritizing certain individuals often results in neglect when managing large crowds, thereby heightening risks associated with potential disasters.
Calls for Accountability from Opponents
The allegations made by Banerjee resonate with criticisms voiced by other opposition leaders as well. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has similarly attacked the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for allegedly obscuring true mortality rates related to this incident and has demanded accountability for those responsible.
“The people who guarantee a Kumbh Mela in the digital age cannot tell how many people died in the stampede; these are the same people that rant daily for digital, digital, digital, and the same government cannot tell the numbers of deaths,” Yadav said inside Parliament.
Official Response and Work Progressing in Investigations
Turing the unfortunate case, a judicial inquiry has been ordered by the Uttar Pradesh government. The causes of the stampede and the ichother arrangement safety level would come to investigation. The government has also promised to formulate strict crowd control measures as well as to improve infrastructures to avert similar happenings thereafter.
Historical Background of the Stampedes in Kumbh Mela
Coronating one of the most enormous of the religious convocation, the Kumbha Mela has a long history of stampedes leading towards deaths. While in 1954 stampedes produced hundred of fatalities of pilgrims, it estimated that they were between 316-800. More recently in 2013, the stampede took place during Prayag Kumbh Mela had taken 42 people and injured many others and is the exemplary lesson about the need for crowd management and proper safety in a large gathering ever since.
The allegations made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have boosted scrutiny of the Uttar Pradesh government’s handling of the Maha Kumbh stampede. While the investigations continue, there is growing demand for the establishment of transparency, accountability, and stringent safety protocols for the peaceful existence of pilgrims in future gatherings.
