The tragic stampede in Mahakumbh on 29th January, that claimed 30 lives and left around 60 injured, has now become an opportunity for political point scoring among the anti-BJP parties, particularly the Samajwadi Party, to do ‘vulture politics’ and peddle lies.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan dismissed the government figures of the number of devotees visiting Mahakumbh and also claimed that the water in Prayagraj is contaminated as dead bodies of stampede victims have been thrown in the holy Ganga river.
During a media interaction on 3rd February, Jaya Bachchan said, “Where is the water most contaminated right now? It’s in Kumbh. Bodies (of those who died in the stampede) have been thrown in the river because of which the water has been contaminated… The real issues are not being addressed. The common people visiting Kumbh are not receiving any special treatment, there is no arrangement for them. They are lying that crores of people have visited the place, how can such a large number of people gather in that place at any given point?”
#WATCH | Delhi: Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan says, "… Where is the water most contaminated right now? It's in Kumbh. Bodies (of those who died in the stampede) have been thrown in the river because of which the water has been contaminated… The real issues are not being… pic.twitter.com/9EWM2OUCJj
— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2025
The Samajwadi Party leader, however, failed to provide any evidence or source for her sensational claim and her statement is being widely criticised on social media.
Jaya Bachchan is not the only Samajwadi Party leader making absurd allegations about Mahakumbh, Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav earlier claimed that contrary to official numbers given by the administration, thousands of people died in the stampede. “The incident took place because of the mismanagement of the administration. The eyewitnesses say that thousands were killed in the stampede…Families are not getting bodies, no action has been taken against the officials…We have given notices here but they have been rejected”, Yadav said.
#WATCH | Delhi: Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha raise slogans and walk out of the House against Uttar Pradesh's Yogi Adityanath government over Maha Kumbh stampede issue.
— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2025
Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav says "…The incident took place because of the mismanagement of the… pic.twitter.com/PLD3PXqrtP
Meanwhile, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said, “Today the opposition demanded only one thing, that the government answer on the atrocities committed with the tourists and death of people at Maha Kumbh… The government is trying to hide the answers… The topic of Maha Kumbh is very serious and should be subjected to investigation and lapses by the Uttar Pradesh government should be revealed… We gave motion in urgent, but the speaker negated it…”
#WATCH | Delhi | On Maha Kumbh stampede, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says, "Today the opposition demanded only one thing, that the government answer on the atrocities committed with the tourists and death of people at Maha Kumbh… The government is trying to hide the answers… The… pic.twitter.com/JtmOOoTY6e
— ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2025
While Jaya Bachchan, along with other Samajwadi Party leaders, is spreading disinformation about the Mahakumbh stampede, it must be recalled how SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav was the Uttar Pradesh CM during the 2013 Kumbh Mela. Akhilesh Yadav had entrusted the Mela management to SP leader Azam Khan at that time. OpIndia published a detailed report on the SP government’s sheer mismanagement that year, their under-use of Centre-allocated funds and rampant irregularities.
Notably, the opposition is making vague claims about the number of deceased and the reason behind the stampede to blame the Uttar Pradesh government for the unfortunate incident in an apparent bid to establish their narrative that the BJP government’s organisation and management of Mahakumbh has been a failure.
The anti-BJP ecosystem has been blaming the VIP culture for the stampede on Mauni Amavasya. OpIndia, however, explained earlier how despite the VIP movement causing significant distress to ordinary people at Mahakumbh, it was not the reason behind the stampede.
What caused the stampede at Mahakumbh
Notably, the 29th of January was Mauni Amavasya, the new moon night of the Krishna Paksh of the Hindu month of Magh. The day holds special astrological significance since the Sun and Moon are in the same raashi of Makar or Capricorn. Taking a ritual bath on this occasion, especially at the Triveni Sangam, washes away one’s sins. Due to the spiritual significance of the Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya, there was a huge crowd on the day the stampede took place. Reports say that about 10 crore people were heading to the Mela Kshetra to take a holy dip at that time.
The stampede took place at around 1-2 am when a massive crowd of devotees broke barricades and trampled on those sleeping on the ground waiting for the Brahma Muhurat at the festival. It must be noted that the crowd behind the barricade, who had just arrived, did not know that there were people already sleeping on the ground and ended up trampling on them unintentionally. These barricades, according to Vaibhav Krishna, Deputy Inspector General, Mahakumbh, were put up around the ghats and they gave way due to the sea of humanity trying to get through.
“Before Brahma Muhurta, between 1 am to 2 am, a huge crowd gathered on the Akhara Marg. Due to this crowd, the barricades on the other side broke and the crowd ran over the devotees waiting to take a holy dip of Brahma Muhurta on the other side. About 90 people were taken to the hospital through ambulances but unfortunately, 30 devotees have died,” DIG Vaibhav Krishna said.
DIG Vaibhav Krishna further said that on the day of Mauni Amavasya, neither any VIP protocol was in place nor special passes were issued to any VIP.
Jaya Bachchan and controversies go hand in hand
Samajwadi Party MP and Bollywood actress Jaya Bachchan has been more in the news in the recent past for her rude behaviour, angry outbursts, and controversial statements rather than for her constructive opinions or politics.
In August 2024, Jaya Bachchan was schooled by Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar after she mindlessly accused him of disrespecting her. “I, Jaya Amitabh Bachchan, would like to highlight that as an artist, I understand body language and expressions. But your tone is not right. You may be sitting on the Chair and we are your colleagues, but your tone is unacceptable,” Bachchan said.
Dhankhar responded by telling Bachchan that she should understand the necessity of maintaining decorum, even if she is an actress and a celebrity.
In 2023, Jaya Bachchan was criticized when she lost her cool at fans and paparazzi when she arrived at the Indore airport with her husband, Amitabh Bachchan. “Aise logo ko naukri se nikal deni chahiye” (such people should be thrown out of their jobs), the actress-turned-politician said as she walked away after lambasting fans for clicking her.
In 2021, Jaya Bachchan ‘cursed’ the Rajya Sabha chair over asking her to participate in the ongoing discussion on the ‘Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021. “Aapke bure din jaldi aane wale hain…I curse you”. (Your bad days will be here soon…I curse you,” Bachchan harangued. The Samajwadi Party leader was apparently triggered when someone among the RS members questioned her about the summon sent to her daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the Panama Papers leak case by the Enforcement Directorate.
Notably, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan never condemned Mulayam Singh Yadav’s outrageous comment during the Shakti Mills rape case where he said ‘ladke hai, ladko se galtiyan ho jaati hai’. Jaya Bachchan continues to be a member of a party wherein her co-actor Jaya Prada was badgered with sexist and misogynistic comments by her own party leader Azam Khan. Jaya Bachchan also remained silent when Azam Khan recited a sexist ‘poem’ for BJP MP Rama Devi.
