Jaya Bachchan’s allegations about the contamination of the waters at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj raise not only environmental concerns but also broader questions about the handling of public safety and transparency by the Uttar Pradesh government. According to Bachchan, the tragic stampede that claimed 30 lives in January has resulted in a grim consequence—bodies of the deceased allegedly thrown into the river, leading to the contamination of water that millions of pilgrims depend on. In her remarks outside Parliament, she described this as a gross failure on the part of the Yogi Adityanath-led administration to ensure basic safety measures for those attending the Kumbh.

It is not just the unsanitary conditions that Bachchan highlights, but the broader neglect of the common people visiting this sacred gathering. She claims that the administration has failed to make special provisions for the safety and well-being of the pilgrims, despite the large turnout. Worse still, the absence of proper postmortem procedures and a lack of transparency surrounding the stampede paint a disturbing picture of systemic negligence.

Bachchan’s assertion that the government has conducted a “complete eyewash” in its handling of the tragedy raises alarm bells about the state’s response. The lack of accountability for the deaths, along with the government’s rhetoric about water conservation and “Jal Shakti,” seems particularly tone-deaf in the face of the contamination crisis. How can anyone believe in grandiose claims of water management when the basic issue of public health at one of the most important religious gatherings in India is being ignored?

Opposition parties, including Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, have echoed similar concerns, alleging that the Uttar Pradesh government is hiding the true extent of the tragedy. The demand for a parliamentary discussion on this issue is not just a political move; it is a call for accountability and a deeper investigation into what really happened at Kumbh.