Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that many people lost their lives during the ongoing Kumbh Mela and demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Yogi Adityanath, immediately release the promised compensation announced for the families of the victims.
She also questioned claims that this year’s Maha Kumbh Mela is taking place after a gap of 144 years, urging experts to verify the accuracy of this assertion.
“It would be my demand to the UP government, to CM Yogi Adityanath, that since they have announced ex gratia for the families of those killed in Kumbh Mela, they must immediately release the amounts to them,” Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat here.
“There are many (Kumbh pilgrims) who have died in accidents, or while attempting to board trains and they all should be compensated,” she said.
The UP government had announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each for the families of people who lost their lives during the Kumbh Mela.
Banerjee referred to her government’s strategies and planning taken during the annual congregation at Gangasagar Mela.
“If I am arranging for a wedding ceremony, I must do it keeping in mind the number of guests. For religious congregations, we must also follow the same planning and arrangements. We have talked about the (lack of) planning (in Kumbh Mela) and that statement was distorted. I have never disrespected any religion in my life and would never do so,” she said.
Banerjee was alluding to her recent ‘Mrityu Kumbh’ remark in which she claimed that the authorities suppressed the actual death toll due to stampedes at the Maha Kumbh. The BJP has attacked her for the comment alleging she insulted Hindus.
Banerjee said that during the Gangasagar Mela, “We do not sleep for four-five days at a stretch. During Durga Puja, we keep a constant vigil till the carnival is over so that no (untoward) incident takes place as a huge number of people from different states visit the state.”
Accidents do take place, but if the authorities do not have a proper plan, it’s the common people who suffer,
the CM said while referring to a 2011 fire incident at a private hospital in the city, in which over 100 lives were lost.
“We remained awake the entire night till the post-mortems were completed. We issued death certificates, compensation and compensatory appointment letters that very night,” she added.
Banerjee charged the UP government with not issuing death certificates administration to Kumbh pilgrims who were killed in accidents.
“We (the West Bengal government) were forced to conduct post-mortem examinations of the bodies sent here and issue death certificates. I have no clue about what other states have done,” she said.
In an apparent reference to the BJP government at the Centre, Banerjee alleged that it controlled the media while reporting the number of deaths in different accidents during the ongoing congregation at Prayagraj.
“Gangasagar is an annual event but Maha Kumbh takes place every 12 years. The last Kumbh Mela happened in 2014. If I am wrong then please correct me. But that this Maha Kumbh is taking place in 144 years is incorrect,” she said.
Banerjee extended her greetings to the people for Shivratri and the upcoming Dolyatra (in March) festivals and urged people to maintain peace as the month-long fast for Ramzan was scheduled to start on March 1.
“We must cooperate with each other. Religion belongs to an individual but festivals are all. I will appeal to all communities, religions, caste and creed to celebrate the festivals peacefully,” she said.
