February 25th 2025.
Kolkata: The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, expressed her concerns on Tuesday about the ongoing Kumbh Mela, alleging that many lives have been lost and demanding immediate action from the Uttar Pradesh government. She called for the promised compensation to be released to the families of the victims, and also raised doubts about the claims that this year's Maha Kumbh Mela is taking place after a gap of 144 years. Banerjee urged experts to verify the accuracy of this assertion.
Addressing reporters at the state secretariat, Banerjee emphasized the importance of the UP government, led by CM Yogi Adityanath, to fulfill their responsibility and provide the ex gratia amount to the families of those who have lost their lives in the Kumbh Mela. She stated that there have been several accidents and incidents where people have died while attempting to board trains. These families also deserve to be compensated for their loss.
The UP government had announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each for the families of the deceased in the Kumbh Mela. Banerjee also spoke about her own government's strategies and planning during the annual Gangasagar Mela. She highlighted the importance of proper planning and arrangements for religious congregations, just like one would do for a wedding ceremony. Banerjee also clarified that her previous statement on planning for religious gatherings was distorted and she has never disrespected any religion.
Banerjee's remarks were in reference to her recent statement about the suppressed death toll due to stampedes at the Maha Kumbh, which she called 'Mrityu Kumbh'. The BJP criticized her for this comment, accusing her of insulting Hindus. Banerjee further stated that during the Gangasagar Mela, her government remains on high alert for four to five days, and during Durga Puja, constant vigilance is maintained to ensure the safety of the people visiting from different states.
Accidents may happen, but Banerjee stressed on the importance of proper planning by the authorities to prevent any mishaps. She mentioned the tragic incident of a fire at a private hospital in 2011, where over 100 lives were lost. Banerjee personally remained awake the entire night to oversee the post-mortem examinations, issue death certificates, and provide compensation and compensatory appointment letters to the families of the victims.
Banerjee also accused the UP government of not issuing death certificates to the Kumbh pilgrims who were killed in accidents. She stated that her government had to conduct post-mortems and issue death certificates themselves, as they had no information from other states. Banerjee also took a dig at the BJP government at the Centre, alleging that they control the media to manipulate the reporting of deaths in different accidents during the ongoing Prayagraj congregation.
Clarifying the confusion about the duration between two Kumbh Melas, Banerjee extended her greetings to the people for Shivratri and the upcoming Dolyatra festivals. She urged everyone to maintain peace, especially with the start of the month-long fast for Ramzan on March 1st. Banerjee emphasized the need for cooperation among all communities, religions, castes, and creeds, to celebrate festivals peacefully. She reminded everyone that religion is a personal choice, but festivals are for everyone to enjoy.
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