“I won’t get blisters…” Mamata Banerjee Demands Compensation for Mahakumbh Victims, Slams Yogi Adityanath’s Remarks

The ongoing political showdown over the Mahakumbh has intensified following the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s ‘Vulture’ and “pig’ analogy. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a sharp response to, has demanded immediate compensation for the families of victims, including those who lost their lives in road accidents en route to the Mahakumbh, claiming Adityanath’s remarks won’t give her ‘blisters’.

“I urge the Uttar Pradesh government to provide compensation to the families who have lost their loved ones. Many people have died in stampedes, and several others in road accidents on their way to Mahakumbh. These families need immediate relief. There is no excuse for delay,” Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday, underlining the need for accountability in such large-scale events.

Mamata’s remarks come in the wake of a deadly stampede during the Mahakumbh on January 29 which claimed at least 30 lives and several others were left injured. Following that, in another stampede at New Delhi railway station, late on February 15, at least 18 people had lost their lives, mostly Mahakumbh pilgrims who had assembled at the station to catch a train for Prayagraj. Reposts suggest that in February alone, more than 50 pilgrims have died in various road accidents while en route to Prayagraj or were returning homes after the holi dip at Mahakumbh.

The opposition has accused the Uttar Pradesh government of failing to adequately manage the event, putting thousands of lives at risk. In particular, Mamata Banerjee had earlier coined the term ‘Mrityukumbh’ (Kumbh of Death) to criticise the handling of the event, leading to an escalating war of words between the BJP and opposition leaders.
However, the Bengal Chief Minister's call for compensation was not her only point of contention. Mamata also reacted strongly to controversial remarks made by Yogi Adityanath in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Monday. Without naming Mamata or other opposition leaders, Yogi Adityanath had used a provocative analogy, saying, “Vultures only found dead bodies in Kumbh. Pigs only saw filth in Kumbh,” implying that the opposition only sought to highlight negative aspects of the event.

In his statement, Yogi Adityanath went on to contrast this perspective with that of “sensible people,” whom he claimed saw beauty, spirituality, and business opportunities in the Mahakumbh. “Pilgrims earned blessings, good people gained goodness, and believers found God,” Yogi stated, accusing the Left and Samajwadi leaders of intentionally distorting the Mahakumbh’s true essence for political gain.

Reacting to this on Wednesday, Mamata Banerjee rejected his remarks outright, asserting, “I don’t care what Yogi Adityanath says or how much he abuses me. That won’t give me blisters. As a Chief Minister, I respect him. But I demand before the Uttar Pradesh government that all victims should be compensated immediately. They haven’t even given death certificates to the bereaved families.”

Mamata further pointed out that the families of victims from West Bengal who died in the Mahakumbh had not received death certificates from Uttar Pradesh, forcing Bengal officials to intervene and issue the documents themselves. Addressing the core issue of management, Bengal Chief Minister emphasised that large religious gatherings like the Mahakumbh require meticulous planning and preparation. “If I organise a wedding, it’s my responsibility to ensure there is enough food for all guests. Similarly, the government must know its capacity and plan accordingly for such massive events,” Mamata said. “The lack of planning is evident. But after an accident, if proper measures are not taken, the common people suffer.”

In her statement, she also made a distinction between her criticism of the management of the Mahakumbh and any disrespect for the religious event itself. “I have never disrespected any religion. We respect every religion. We ensure the safety and well-being of pilgrims during Gangasagar and Durga Puja, both of which are also large religious festivals. However, when there are accidents, the responsibility lies with the government to provide relief.” Echoing her sentiments, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav last week had called out alleged lack of preparedness to facilitate the Kumbh pilgrims. The opposition has accused BJP of using media to create a hype on Mahakumbh, claiming this was happening after 144 years, had only led to massive and ‘unmanageable’ surge in footfall. Opposition has blamed BJP of using religious faith to earn money. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday during a rally in Bihar has termed Opposition remarks an “insult to Hindu religion”.​