Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has urged the Uttar Pradesh government to extend the ongoing Maha Kumbh to allow elderly devotees to take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Yadav alleged that the Yogi Adityanath government was deliberately underreporting the turnout at Maha Kumbh. “By now, 60 crore people must have taken a bath, but the government is not disclosing the actual number. They are deliberately underreporting figures so that their failures and mismanagement remain hidden,” he claimed.
Calls for Extension Amid Concerns for Elderly Devotees
Yadav highlighted that many elderly devotees above 65 or 70 years were unable to participate in the religious festivities due to traffic congestion and safety risks, including stampedes.
“At one time, the Kumbh lasted 75 days. During Emperor Harshavardhana’s era, it was even longer, attracting people from all religions and distant places. So, we demand the government extend it,” Yadav said, as quoted by ANI.
He also criticized the government for failing to utilize drone technology for crowd management. “They talked about using drones and even conducted programs on it. But where drones were actually needed, they were not deployed,” he added.
Prayagraj Administration Denies Extension Rumors
Despite Yadav’s demand, the Prayagraj district administration has ruled out any extension of the Maha Kumbh.
“This is a rumor, and the Maha Kumbh will conclude on February 26 as scheduled. Until an official announcement is made by the government or administration, people should not believe in such claims,” Prayagraj district magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandhad told ANI.
50.11 Crore Devotees Have Taken Holy Dip
The Uttar Pradesh government’s information department confirmed that as of today, nearly 50.11 crore people have taken holy dips at Triveni Sangam.
With millions of devotees still pouring into Prayagraj, the Maha Kumbh remains one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
Sources By Agencies
