On 3rd February, opposition parties launched a bizarre attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over the Mahakumbh stampede in Prayagraj. Claiming massive administrative failure, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav stated that “thousands were killed,” some “were thrown in Ganga,” and others “buried.”
Ram Gopal Yadav accused the state government of concealing the true death toll and claimed that officials were ordered not to report figures exceeding 30. However, he did not provide any evidence to support his claims and cited “eyewitnesses” as his source.
#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
The Samajwadi leader further claimed that families were being bribed with Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 to remain silent and avoid post-mortem procedures. Again, he did not provide any evidence for this claim and made the sweeping comment while talking to media persons outside Parliament. Despite the serious accusations, no formal complaints or credible eyewitness accounts corroborating such widespread fatalities were presented by Ram Gopal Yadav or any other opposition leader.
Opposition MPs disrupt Parliament proceedings with unverified claims
SP MP Jaya Bachchan echoed Yadav’s bizarre claims. She also declared that “thousands have died” and demanded the government disclose the “real numbers.” Bachchan accused the state of lying and prioritising VIP arrangements over common pilgrims. She claimed that the water of Ganga has been “polluted” and “dead bodies were thrown” in the river. She also did not provide any data, credible reports, or evidence to back her claims.
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
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also joined the chorus. He called for a special discussion in Lok Sabha and accused the government of bulldozing the opposition’s demands. He claimed that the government has been avoiding accountability. Once again, Gogoi failed to provide any evidence to back his colleagues’ claims of large-scale deaths.
#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
Speculative narrative fueled by vague reports
RJD MP Manoj Jha also joined in by citing “unconfirmed reports” that truckloads of abandoned mobile phones were found after the stampede. He indirectly asserted that the discovery of a large number of abandoned mobile phones indicated missing persons. He asked, “Where are the owners of these phones?”
#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
RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha says "The matter of concern is that the entire country is worried about the people… pic.twitter.com/VJsgem9vZn
Opposition walks out of Parliament
The controversy spilled over into the Rajya Sabha, where members from Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, and other opposition parties staged a walkout after their demands for a discussion on the Mahakumbh were denied. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar clarified that notices submitted under Rule 267 by leaders like Congress’s Pramod Tiwari and Digvijay Singh, TMC’s Sagarika Ghose, and SP’s Javed Khan were rejected as they did not meet procedural requirements.
Despite these clarifications, opposition leaders continued their protests and walked out of the House.
