The Trinamul Congress (TMC), Congress, and Left Front leaders have accused the Centre of attempting to cover up the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that resulted in multiple casualties. The opposition parties have demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, holding him responsible for the tragedy.

TMC Rajya Sabha deputy leader Sagarika Ghose strongly criticised the BJP government, calling it “tragic beyond words.” In a post on X, she condemned the Centre’s response, stating: “First Narendra Modi and his BJP deny any stampede. Then they call it a rumour. Then they admit a ‘few people’ were ‘injured’. Finally, they are forced to accept that a ‘few’ may have died.” She further accused the Modi government of prioritising publicity over governance, saying: “The ‘minimum governance, maximum publicity’ mantra of the Modi government is again exposed by the shocking New Delhi station stampede.”

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West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) state spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy also criticised the Indian Railways for its alleged negligence. “This incident once again exposes the failure and insensitivity of the Railways. The rush of devotees to Prayagraj was expected. Why were proper measures not taken in advance? The government and administration should have ensured that no lives were lost due to mismanagement,” he said. Left leaders also expressed outrage over the incident.

CPM Central Committee member Sujan Chakraborty and CPI state secretary Swapan Banerjee blamed the BJP for politicising the Mahakumbh 2025 event for electoral gains. “One tragic incident after another is happening under the nose of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Mr Banerjee. He called for the immediate resignation of the Railway Minister, accusing him of attempting to cover up the stampede. Expressing deep shock over the deaths of 18 people and many being injured, Mr Chakraborty stated: “The Prime Minister must feel ashamed that for hours after the stampede, Railways kept denying it and dismissed it as a rumour. This was a brazen attempt at cover-up until the bodies started appearing.”

He further accused Railway Minister Vaishnaw of having “blood on his hands” and called for his resignation. “If Mr Vaishnaw has any sense of responsibility, he must resign. If PM Modi has even an iota of shame or concern for people’s lives, he must sack Ashwini Vaishnaw immediately,” he said. TMC MP and national spokesperson Saket Gokhale also lashed out at the Centre, stating that “the lives of Indians cannot be treated so cheaply.” He accused the Uttar Pradesh government of turning the sacred Kumbh Mela into a “PR activity” and criticised the lack of adequate arrangements for pilgrims travelling to Prayagraj.

“This is the second Kumbh-related stampede. Millions of people have been encouraged to rush to Prayagraj without ensuring proper logistics and safety,” he said. Raising concerns over the deteriorating condition of Indian Railways, Mr Gokhale further stated: “The number of deaths on Indian Railways has been increasing, yet the minister prefers to share video reels rather than address issues of safety and overcrowding.”