Kolkata: After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reacted to the Maha Kumbh Mela stampede and deaths, calling the event “Mrityu Kumbh", the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti chief Swami Jitendranand Saraswati warned her that the upcoming assembly elections will prove to be a “Mrityu Kumbh” for her political career.
Mamata’s reaction at the state assembly over the Mela stampede using the mentioned term, slamming the central government and Uttar Pradesh’s BJP-led Adityanath government over the alleged mismanagement at Maha Kumbh Mela, had triggered a controversy. The BJP and some Hindu religious groups strongly came against the Trinamool Congress supremo for her ‘Mrityu Kumbh’ remark.
Swami Jitendranand Saraswati said that the way Hindus of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and himself should say Eastern India has been coming here for the 'Amrit snan', it is natural for Mamata to be restless. He felt that the upcoming assembly elections of West Bengal would prove to be a 'Mrityu Kumbh' for her political career, Asian News International reported.
Slamming the BJP-led Centre as well as Uttar Pradesh, Mamata said that she respect the Maha Kumbh, holy Ganga, but the event was organized without any planning. She wondered how many of the stampede affected had recovered. For the rich and the VIP, there are systems available to get tents for as high as Rs 1 lakh, but there are no arrangements for the poor, she said.
"Stampede situation is common in a 'mela', but it is important to make arrangements. What planning did you make?" ANI quoted her.