As Parliament's Budget Session for 2025 resumed on Monday, members of the opposition demanded an answer from the Centre regarding the recent stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela.
A massive stampede occurred in Prayagraj at the Maha Kumbh mela. While the death toll is expected to be higher, the UP government has stated that around 30 people were killed in the stampede.
The parliament echoed shouts of "Kumbh pe jawab do" in the chambers as opposition MPs demanded a list of all those who died in the stampede.
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla called for order and accused the opposition of not "wanting the House to function."
Opposition's sloganeering was also noticed during the presentation of the Union Budget 2025 on Saturday, which was led by Samajwadi Party and its leader Akhilesh Yadav.
Yadav told reporters that there are "more important things than the Budget at this time."
"People in Maha Kumbh are still looking and searching for their relatives... many people died but the government has failed to provide the numbers of deceased and those who are missing. Hindus have lost their lives... the government must wake up," he told reporters.
What Happened At The Maha Kumbh?
The Maha Kumbh mela is a Hindu religious festival. The 2025 mela is taking place after 12 years in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj and is expected to host at least 40 million pilgrims, if not more.
However, last week, a massive stampede occurred as the mela prepared for Amrit Snan. Around 30 people were killed in the stampede. However, videos and images from the incident reflect a high death toll.
