Parliament erupts over Maha Kumbh stampede, Opposition demands answers

Parliament on Monday witnessed uproarious scenes over the Maha Kumbh stampede as the Opposition demanded answers and accused the UP government of concealing the death toll

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Parliament's Budget session resumed on Monday with intense protests from opposition MPs over the Maha Kumbh stampede in Prayagraj last week, which resulted in the deaths of 30 people. The incident sparked heated debates, with the Opposition demanding accountability from the Uttar Pradesh government.

 

Chaos in Lok Sabha over stampede tragedy

 

As the proceedings began, opposition MPs stormed the Well of the House, chanting slogans like "Kumbh pe jawab do" (Answer on Kumbh). They also demanded the government disclose an official list of the deceased, alleging that the Uttar Pradesh administration delayed confirming the fatalities and might be concealing the actual death toll.

 

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged MPs to maintain order, slamming the Opposition for disrupting the session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also appealed for calm, but the protests continued.  ALSO READ: Maha Kumbh Amrit Snan: 6.2 mn devotees take holy dip on Basant Panchami

 

Protests spill over from Budget Day

 

This unrest echoed scenes from Saturday's Budget presentation, where Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman faced disruptions as she delivered the Union Budget 2025. Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav led the protests, stating that the Maha Kumbh tragedy deserved urgent attention over Budget discussions.

 

After several minutes of slogans, Yadav and his party members staged a symbolic walk-out, returning shortly after. Speaking to reporters before the Budget session, Yadav said, "There is a more important thing than a budget at this time. People in Maha Kumbh are still searching for their relatives. Many people died, but the government has failed to provide accurate numbers of the deceased and missing. The government must wake up."

 

Akhilesh Yadav has been a vocal critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which governs both Uttar Pradesh and the central government. He demanded that the management of the Maha Kumbh Mela be handed over to the Army for better coordination and crowd control.

 

"This is the first time saints have refused to participate in the Shahi (Amrit) Snan. The government has failed to ensure their safety," Yadav said.

 

He also targeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, questioning his leadership. "The UP CM has morally failed. The question now is when will he be gone politically? The government is hiding the death toll because they don’t want to pay compensation," he said.