New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Hema Malini on Tuesday made an insensitive remark on the stampede during the Maha Kumbh 2025 in which 30 people were lost their lives while 60 others were injured. The actor-turned-politician said that the stampede that took place on January 29 during the Maha Kumbh was not a “big” incident.
Malini said that the Opposition exaggerated the incident. She also lauded the Uttar Pradesh government for arrangements at the Maha Kumbh. While replying to a question on Akhilesh Yadav targeting the BJP government at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh over the stampede, the Lok Sabha MP said, “His job is to speak wrongly. We went to Kumbh, we had a very nice bath. It is right that an incident took place, but it was not a very big incident. “
“It is being exaggerated…It was very well-managed, and everything was done very well…So many people are coming, it is very difficult to manage but we are doing our best,” she added.
Hema Malini’s Statement:
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Prayagraj on Wednesday to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh.
Congress’s Reaction:
Malini’s statement stirred a political controversy. The Congress hit back at the BJP over its MP’s statement. The grand old party called the remark “shameful”. “Due to the incompetence of the BJP government, a large number of people lost their lives in Kumbh.On this extremely sad incident, BJP MP Hema Malini said- ‘This was not such a big incident, it is being blown out of proportion’ This statement is shameful; it is the height of insensitivity,” the Congress said in its X post.
“From the very first day, the BJP government and the entire government machinery have been trying to cover up this incident. Till now it has not been revealed how many people have lost their lives. The victims’ families have been left to fend for themselves and all efforts are being made to suppress the incident,” it added.
What Opposition Said On Maha Kumbh Stampede:
Several opposition leaders raised concerns over the government’s handling of the stampede during the Mauni Amavasya bathing ritual.
Earlier today, Yadav demanded transparency regarding the fatalities at the Maha Kumbh stampede, urging the government to present accurate figures on the deaths, treatment of the injured, and arrangements made for the event.
Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks on the President’s Address, Akhilesh called for an all-party meeting to clarify the situation and recommended that disaster management and the lost and found centre be handed over to the Army.
The SP chief also pressed for strict punitive action against those responsible for the tragedy and those who concealed the facts, questioning the government’s decision to suppress the numbers.
“For the Maha Kumbh tragedy, there should be strict punitive action against those responsible and those who have hidden the truth should be punished. We ask the double-engine government, if there was no guilt, then why were the figures suppressed, hidden and erased?” he added.
“Log punye kamane aaye the aur apno ke shav lekar gaye hai (People came to earn merit, but they left with the bodies of their loved ones)” the SP Chief said.
The Maha Kumbh started on January 13 and will conclude on February 25. Around 40-4 crore devotees are expected to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh.
