Government hiding Kumbh stampede death toll: Opposition

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sagarika Ghose speaks in Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session of the Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI via Sansad TV

Keeping the heat on the government over the Kumbh stampede, the Opposition members in both houses of Parliament accused the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Uttar Pradesh of hiding the death toll and other details of the tragedy.

In Rajya Sabha, during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that “2,000 people died” on January 29 at Kumbh. “Did only 30 people die at Maha Kumbh? You should tell us the truth. Nearly 2,000 people died there. In any other country, the Prime Minister and Chief Minister would have been forced to resign,” he said.

Also Read: Maha Kumbh stampede developments: 30 dead, 60 injured in Prayagraj; judicial probe ordered

His claim drew howls of protest from treasury benches. The Shiv Sena leader blamed “poor management” for the tragedy, terming the Kumbh a “political event for political marketing”. On Monday (February 4, 2025), Congress President and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge referred to “thousands” of deaths in the stampede. 

Several other Opposition MPs spoke in a similar vein. Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose questioned why the government was reluctant to share the number of deaths. “Instead of showing remorse, instead of showing accountability, the government’s PR machine is going on and on…,” she said.

Congress’s Ranjeet Ranjan accused the government of hiding “dead bodies”. “For several hours during the night, those bodies were kept in a room and then taken to the hospital as ‘injured’ and from there they were made to disappear… people were forced to sign documents claiming that those people died a natural death in the Kumbh and not due to the stampede. This is extremely shameful for all of us,” Ms. Ranjan said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Kumar Jha called for banning all VIP visits and said the government denied pilgrims dignity even in death.

In Lok Sabha too, the Opposition made similar claims. Independent member from Bihar’s Purnea, Pappu Yadav alias Rajesh Ranjan, quoted a monk to make a controversial demand.

“I won’t name the baba but will quote him… He said all those who died in the stampede have attained mokhsa [salvation]. So, I want that most babas, politicians and those with big money should also take dip (in the Sangam) and die there to attain moksha or kalyan. I am saying such ‘babas’ should get moksha,” Mr. Yadav said.