NEW DELHI: Mathura MP Hema malini  hit out the at the opposition over the January 29 stampede at the Maha Kumbh mela saying that it was not a “big incident” and the opposition is “exaggerating” it.
“We had gone to Kumbh… We had a nice bath… Everything was well managed. It is right that the incident (stampede) took place … Itna kuch bada nai hua tha (it was not a very big incident). I don’t know how big it was. It is being exaggerated… It was very well-managed, and everything was done very well…
Days after taking a “very nice bath” at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and (mythical) Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, actress and BJP MP Hema Malini on Tuesday said, “…it was not a big incident. I don’t know how big it was (but) it is being blown out of proportion.” She also praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s management. “Everything was done very well…” She described the stampede as “inevitable” and said that “so many people are coming… it is very difficult to make arrangements.”
On being criticised by opposition leaders – who have accused the UP government of hiding the actual number of deaths – she said, “They will say what they want to say… it is their job to say wrong things.” Hema Malini took a ‘holy bath’ last week, after which she said she “felt great”, and added, “I have never had such an experience before… I am fortunate to take a holy bath.”
The comment drew a sharp reaction from Congress MP from UP’s Katihar Tariq Anwar, who said the actress “can never know what this horrific stampede was really like”. “When she came, she was given VIP treatment. Things went haywire at the Maha Kumbh because both the police and the administration were looking after the VIPs. They did not worry about the arrangements and safety of the common people. If she says it is not a big issue… it is mocking the victims.”
Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav responded by saying Hema Malini is a leader of the ruling party and a big artiste… it is possible that she got special facilities. Hundreds of people died and this is not hidden from anyone.”
Thirty people were killed in the stampede as the restless crowd, desperate to take the ‘holy dip’ or ‘amrit snan’, jostled for space and broke barriers. At least 60 people were injured in the tragic incident. The stampede led to fierce protests from opposition parties, especially after the state government delayed confirming the deaths; Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those killed in a post, while the UP chief minister did so even before confirming the deaths.
Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party has been at the forefront of the opposition’s call to demand justice for the victims (and their families) and hold the government accountable. Speaking in Parliament this morning too, he demanded that “those hiding the truth must be punished”. Mr Yadav has repeatedly raised the issue inside and outside the House, even leading his MPs to stage a symbolic walk-out during the reading out of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week. Opposition MPs staged a ‘walk-out’ during the reading of the budget by Nirmala Sitharaman. The latter said, “There is something more important than ‘budget’ now.”
The SP chief was accompanied by her colleague Jaya Bachchan who also launched a scathing attack. Jaya Bachchan accused the BJP of dumping the bodies of those killed in the stampede into the Ganga river. The bodies have been dumped in the river, which has led to contamination of the water… The BJP took strong objection to her comments, accusing its rival of “hurting the sentiments of Hindus” and warned that she will have to “bear the consequences”. The party also said that Rs 1,600 crore has been spent for water management, including waste disposal, during this Kumbh period. In and outside Parliament, the SP and other opposition parties have demanded a verified list of those who died in the stampede. They argue that the BJP’s UP government is trying to hide the real number.

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