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Chaos in Parliament as Opposition Demands Discussion on Maha Kumbh Stampede
The Budget session of the Parliament resumed on Monday morning amidst chaos, as the Opposition MPs protested vociferously, demanding a discussion over the stampede at Uttar Pradesh’s Maha Kumbh, that led to the death of 30 people and injured as many as 60. The MPs raised slogans such as “Kumbh pe jawab do” and rushed towards the Well of the House in a show of defiance.
The MPs demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government release an updated list of the deceased, accusing them of concealing the true death toll. They pointed out that the UP government had delayed confirming the number of fatalities, releasing the only list of casualties 19 hours after the stampede occurred.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla called for order in the House, accusing the opposition of obstructing the proceedings. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also appealed to the MPs to allow the session to continue smoothly.
The disruption on Monday followed a similar scene on Saturday when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2025. During the budget reading, members of the Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, raised protests and chanted slogans. The Opposition MPs staged a symbolic walkout, rallying around their demand of a discussion over the Maha Kumbh stampede.
Ahead of the budget presentation, Yadav had expressed his concerns to the media, stating that issues surrounding the tragedy at the Maha Kumbh were more pressing than the budget. He emphasized that many people were still searching for their relatives in the aftermath of the stampede, and the government had failed to provide an accurate count of the deceased and missing. Yadav also criticized the government's lack of response to the loss of lives, especially among Hindus, and called for urgent action.
The stampede at the Mahakumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, claimed the lives of at least 30 people and injured 60. The incident occurred during the early hours of the Mauni Amavasya holy dip when a large crowd surged in a confined area, leading to chaos and panic. The stampede sparked widespread outrage and concerns over the lack of crowd management measures, as the authorities faced criticism for not adequately preparing for the massive turnout.
