Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has questioned the data presented by Yogi Adityanath government on the number of devotees attending Maha Kumbh, stating that the numbers were fake.
Yadav, who said he would go to 'Sangam' only when Mother Ganga called him, said the trains to Prayagraj were running empty. "Every figure presented by the government is fake. Many trains are empty. We heard that the train from Gorakhpur to Prayagraj was running empty," Yadav said, questioning the credibility of the data presented by the government.
Akhilesh's comments irked BJP, which said the government doesn't need a certificate from him. Party MP PRaveen Khandelwal told ANI that Akhilesh's comments reflected his desire to stay in the headlines. "Akhilesh Yadav is also searching for his ground in politics since the people rejected him. The world is seeing how popular the Maha Kumbh is. People are visiting the Maha Kumbh not only from the country but also from abroad. The government does not need his certificate," Khandelwal told ANI.
UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak too slammed Yadav and urged him to rise above factionalism and welcome people coming to Prayagraj. He accused him of not providing even the basic facilities to Ayodhya despite speaking about Sanatan. "Look at his past. His party workers ordered the firing of Ram bhakts in Ayodhya. Crores of people, irrespective of caste and creed, take a dip in Sangam and this hurts him. If he has the courage, he should speak against other religions," Pathak said.
He added that whenever anyone has insulted Sanatan, he had to repent. "The Samajwadi Party will also have to repent," he said.
The Uttar Pradesh Government said over 40 crore people are expected to visit Kumbh Mela. The government uses manual head counts watch towers, road counts and train arrivals.
