PM recalls 1954 Kumbh stampede, contrasts it with this year's mela

Lauding the arrangements by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh for this year's Kumbh Mela, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday recalled the 1954 stampede at the religious gathering in Allahabad when Jawaharlal Nehru was PM.

"When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister, thousands of people were killed in the Kumbh stampede in Allahabad," Modi said at an election meeting here.

News reports from the time had, however, put the toll in the hundreds, with some saying that about 800 people were killed.

The prime minister alleged that for saving the image of the then government, the media, too, had suppressed the news.

"The stampede victims' families names were never mentioned and not a single rupee was given to them (as compensation). It was insensitivity and this sin was committed by the country's first prime minister," Modi said.

Praising the efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in successfully organising Kumbh in Prayagraj, he said, "Earlier there used to be allegations of corruption and commission in Kumbh against ministers, officers and contractors but this time there was no such allegation and the event was successful."
"This time no stampede happened. The arrangements changed with change in government."
He asked when the opposition cannot control 'gaon ke gundey' (village ruffians), how can they deal with terrorists?