Lucknow: Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has strongly criticized Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s recent remarks in the assembly, stating that they reflected a “negative mentality” and disregarded the dignity of the nation, time, and place. Yadav’s response appeared to be directed at Adityanath’s controversial statement, where he remarked that “vultures got only dead bodies, pigs got dirt.”
On Monday, Adityanath chastised the opposition for criticizing the state government’s preparations for the upcoming Maha Kumbh. He defended the event’s management, arguing that everyone who attended the gathering found something of value. However, his choice of words sparked outrage among opposition leaders.
In response, Yadav took to social media platform X to express his discontent. “But those who searched for their loved ones at the Maha Kumbh neither found their names in the list of the dead nor in the lost-and-found register,” he wrote, without directly naming the Chief Minister.
Yadav was referring to the recent stampede during the Maha Kumbh, which left at least 30 people dead and several more injured. Criticizing the government’s handling of the event, he accused some individuals of using the tragedy as a political opportunity for self-promotion. “In the Maha Kumbh, some people looked for political opportunities and found a medium for self-promotion. However, they lost their human sensitivities, morals, and ethics, as well as their ability to speak with balance,” Yadav said in Hindi.
He further emphasized that offensive language reveals a deep-seated “bad attitude” and urged that discussions about sacred religious events like the Maha Kumbh should be conducted with dignity and respect. “Word choice should align with the honor and dignity of the event. Sensible individuals should express pity for such remarks rather than resentment,” he added.
Earlier on Monday, Adityanath defended the Maha Kumbh preparations, stating, “Anyone who looked for anything at the gathering found it. Vultures only captured dead bodies. Pigs were covered with dirt. Relationships were well shown for sensitive individuals. Faithful people had a sense of fulfillment. The poor found work, the wealthy found business, and gentlemen found gentlemanliness. Clean accommodations were made for devotees. Devotees received God. According to their nature and character, it indicates that everyone has seen and experienced things.”
Yadav’s sharp rebuttal signals the intensifying political debate surrounding the Maha Kumbh, which remains a key event in Uttar Pradesh’s religious and political landscape.
