Samajwadi Party Chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over the Mahakumbh stampede, accusing it of hiding the truth and suppressing the figures related to the incident.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, Yadav demanded strict punitive action against those responsible for the stampede and hiding the truth.

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“For the Mahakumbh tragedy, there should be strict punitive action against those responsible, and those who have hidden the truth should be punished. We ask the double-engine government, if there was no guilt, then why were the figures suppressed, hidden and erased?” he said.

Launching a direct attack on UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Yadav claimed that the UP CM didn’t even express condolence and accepted that such a tragedy had taken place only after 17 hours.

“Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister did not express condolence. When the President and Prime Minister of the country expressed condolences, after 17 hours the (State) government accepted it. These are the people who cannot accept the truth even today…” he said.

Slamming the government’s handling of the situation, he accused the UP administration of showering flower petals when bodies were lying in the mortuary.

“When it was known that some people had lost their lives, their bodies were lying in the mortuary and the hospital, then the government filled their government helicopter with flowers and showered flower petals. What kind of Sanatani tradition is this?” he questioned.

Claiming that pressure tactics are being used to hide the truth, Yadav said, “God knows how many slippers, clothes, and sarees were lying there and they lifted all of them using JCB machines and tractor trolleys. Nobody knows where they were thrown. To hide everything, it is heard that some pressure and some sweeteners are being given so that their news does not come out…” he claimed.

Demanding transparency from the government, the SP Chief called for an all-party meeting to give clarification about the arrangements for Mahakumbh, and that the Army should be given the responsibility of disaster management and lost & found centres.

“While the government is continuously giving budget figures, please also give the figures of those who died in Maha Kumbh. I demand an all-party meeting should be called to clarify the arrangements for Maha Kumbh. The responsibility of Maha Kumbh disaster management and lost and found centres should be given to the Army.

“The figures for the deaths in the Maha Kumbh accident, treatment of injured, availability of medicines, doctors, food, water, and transport should be presented in Parliament. For the Mahakumbh tragedy, there should be strict punitive action against those responsible and those who have hidden the truth should be punished. We ask the double-engine government, if there was no guilt, then why were the figures suppressed, hidden and erased?” he added.