Akhilesh Yadav demands extension of Maha Kumbh: ‘There are elderly people’

According to the UP government, as of today, nearly 50.11 crore people have taken holy dips in the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday urged the Uttar Pradesh government to extend the Maha Kumbh period so that elderly devotees could take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam.

A helicopter drops flower petals on the devotees taking a dip at Sangam in the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.(Reuters)

While alleging that the Yogi Adityanath government “under-reported” the turnout at the Maha Kumbh, Yadav said at a press conference,"By now, 600 million people (60 crores) must have taken a bath, but the government is not disclosing the actual number. They are deliberately underreporting figures so that, in the future, if someone studies the administrative or management aspects, their failures and mismanagement will be exposed."

"There are many elderly people--those above sixty-five or seventy years--who have not been able to take a bath. They wished to participate in religious programs, but due to various reasons, they couldn't. At one time, the Kumbh used to last seventy-five days. During Emperor Harshavardhana's time, it was even longer, attracting people from all religions and distant places. So, we demand the government extend it," ANI quoted the former UP chief minister as saying.

Highlighting logistical challenges, he pointed to traffic congestion and the risk of stampedes as key reasons for elderly devotees missing the event. He also slammed the government for failing to use drone technology effectively.

"The government had earlier stated that drones should be used, and even conducted programs on it. But where drones were actually needed, they were not deployed," the SP supremo added.

Maha Kumbh won't be extended, says Prayagraj official

The Prayagraj district administration has clarified that there won't be an extension of Maha Kumbh.

“This is a rumour, and the end date for the Maha Kumbh Mela will be the 26th of February. I have said in the past as well that till the administration or government officially extends the date, one should not pay attention to rumours," Prayagraj district magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandhad told ANI.

The information department of the UP government said that as of today, nearly 50.11 crore people have taken holy dips in the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj.

(With ANI inputs)