Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday attacked the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over alleged mismanagement in organising the Maha Kumbh Mela and demanded compensation to families of those killed in road accidents while travelling to the religious event.
Yadav expressed concern over the rising number of accidents involving buses and vehicles carrying Maha Kumbh devotees.
"...The main reason behind this is that due to heavy traffic jam and chaos, the condition of drivers is very bad. Neither their fatigue is getting over nor they are getting enough sleep. In such a situation, they are driving in a semi-sleep state, which is causing accidents," the former chief minister said in a post in Hindi on X.
He emphasized that the solution to this crisis lies in effective management. "The only solution to this is good management, which only the government can do but is unable to do." Yadav demanded that the families of all the deceased devotees, who died due to accidents, stampedes, or suffocation, be compensated equally.
"All the devotees who went on the Maha Kumbh Yatra and died at different places due to stampede, accidents or suffocation, etc., should be considered equal and their families should be given compensation for this," he said.
Yadav also called for compensation for the injured and urged both the central and state governments to provide financial support.
"All the injured should also be given compensation along with treatment. The central and state governments should provide money from various funds for this. When billions of rupees can be spent on publicity, then why can't it be given as consolation to the bereaved families," he said in the post.
The ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj will continue till February 26.