New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) – The Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed intense criticism from opposition MPs over the recent Kumbh Mela stampede in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, with leaders accusing the government of negligence and demanding accountability.
During the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, DMK MP Kanimozhi expressed condolences to the victims and lambasted the authorities for their failure to ensure pilgrims' safety.
"I express my grief and empathy for those who lost their lives in the Kumbh Mela stampede. These people trusted the Union and state governments to protect them, but unfortunately, they were left unprotected," she said.
The opposition raised prolonged protests in the House, insisting on a detailed discussion on the tragedy and demanding an official list of the deceased.
"When religion and politics merge, it is the innocent who suffer. We don’t even know the exact number of people who died in the stampede," she said.
She also highlighted issues of representation, pointing to the declining presence of Muslim MPs and the underrepresentation of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minority communities in bureaucracy.
The DMK leader further took aim at the government's ideological stance, arguing that the President’s Address glorified ‘civilisational nationalism,’ a term she claimed was being used to push a monolithic cultural agenda.
She criticized policies affecting minorities, citing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and an increase in attacks on civil society.
"Minorities are being made to feel on edge. The government’s stance on issues like CAA, triple talaq, and lynching has left them feeling threatened," she added.
On governance in non-BJP states, she accused the central government of using governors to create administrative hurdles. She also rejected the proposal of ‘One Nation, One Election,’ arguing that it would undermine state-specific concerns and allow national parties to dominate regional issues.
"The Kumbh Mela was not struck by a natural calamity; it was a glaring example of governance failure. Why did the authorities not anticipate the crowd surge? Where is the official list of the deceased?" he questioned.
He further criticized the BJP-led ‘double-engine government’ for failing to provide accurate casualty figures.
Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar also condemned the government's handling of the Kumbh tragedy, highlighting that the President’s Address barely mentioned it.
"Millions of Hindus were preparing for the Mahakumbh, and many poor devotees saved their hard-earned money for the Mauni Amavasya. Yet, the President’s Address contained only 61 words on this tragic incident. There was no condemnation of the deaths, nor were condolence messages sent to the bereaved families," she said.
Dastidar alleged discrepancies in the official death toll, claiming that the number of bodies in morgues did not match the reported fatalities, drawing parallels to similar inconsistencies during the Covid-19 crisis.
"At every step, the Constitution is being disrespected. Loans for billionaires are waived, while farmers continue to suffer," she said.
She also criticized the government’s silence on the ongoing crisis in Manipur.
"Not a single word about Manipur was included in the President’s Address. Homes were torched, women were gang-raped, and children were born in refugee camps. The prime minister has not visited Manipur, but he finds time for election-bound states," she remarked.
During the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, DMK MP Kanimozhi expressed condolences to the victims and lambasted the authorities for their failure to ensure pilgrims' safety.
"I express my grief and empathy for those who lost their lives in the Kumbh Mela stampede. These people trusted the Union and state governments to protect them, but unfortunately, they were left unprotected," she said.
The opposition raised prolonged protests in the House, insisting on a detailed discussion on the tragedy and demanding an official list of the deceased.
Concerns Over Governance and Minority Representation
Kanimozhi criticized the government's governance model, alleging it has fostered divisions in society."When religion and politics merge, it is the innocent who suffer. We don’t even know the exact number of people who died in the stampede," she said.
She also highlighted issues of representation, pointing to the declining presence of Muslim MPs and the underrepresentation of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minority communities in bureaucracy.
The DMK leader further took aim at the government's ideological stance, arguing that the President’s Address glorified ‘civilisational nationalism,’ a term she claimed was being used to push a monolithic cultural agenda.
She criticized policies affecting minorities, citing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and an increase in attacks on civil society.
"Minorities are being made to feel on edge. The government’s stance on issues like CAA, triple talaq, and lynching has left them feeling threatened," she added.
On governance in non-BJP states, she accused the central government of using governors to create administrative hurdles. She also rejected the proposal of ‘One Nation, One Election,’ arguing that it would undermine state-specific concerns and allow national parties to dominate regional issues.
Samajwadi Party and Trinamool MPs Slam Government on Stampede Response
Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Chandra Uttam Patel blamed the Uttar Pradesh government for its handling of the Kumbh Mela, calling the stampede a failure of administration rather than a natural disaster."The Kumbh Mela was not struck by a natural calamity; it was a glaring example of governance failure. Why did the authorities not anticipate the crowd surge? Where is the official list of the deceased?" he questioned.
He further criticized the BJP-led ‘double-engine government’ for failing to provide accurate casualty figures.
Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar also condemned the government's handling of the Kumbh tragedy, highlighting that the President’s Address barely mentioned it.
"Millions of Hindus were preparing for the Mahakumbh, and many poor devotees saved their hard-earned money for the Mauni Amavasya. Yet, the President’s Address contained only 61 words on this tragic incident. There was no condemnation of the deaths, nor were condolence messages sent to the bereaved families," she said.
Dastidar alleged discrepancies in the official death toll, claiming that the number of bodies in morgues did not match the reported fatalities, drawing parallels to similar inconsistencies during the Covid-19 crisis.
Economic and Security Criticism
Shifting focus to economic issues, Dastidar slammed the government for favoring billionaires while ignoring struggling farmers."At every step, the Constitution is being disrespected. Loans for billionaires are waived, while farmers continue to suffer," she said.
She also criticized the government’s silence on the ongoing crisis in Manipur.
"Not a single word about Manipur was included in the President’s Address. Homes were torched, women were gang-raped, and children were born in refugee camps. The prime minister has not visited Manipur, but he finds time for election-bound states," she remarked.
