During his first visit to the Maha Kumbh Mela after the January 29 stampede in which 30 people had lost lives, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday praised akharas for “acting with such restraint” that day as he took a veiled jibe at his political opponents, saying that they tried to besmirch the glory of the mega event so that it “becomes a matter of great global embarrassment”. Adityanath was speaking at the Dharma Sabha event at the Maha Kumbh organised for the consecration of Satua Baba and Swami Ram Kamalacharya. After landing in Prayagraj, he directly headed to Sangam Nose, the site of the stampede. There he was briefed by Mela Officer Vijay Kiran Anand and DIG Vaibhav Krishna about the incident. Alleging that some were trying to hatch a “conspiracy against Sanatan Dharma”, the CM praised akharas and sadhus for their “patience” on Mauni Amavasya and said that it foiled the plans of a section that had been waiting for the seers and akharas to lose their patience, which would have led to embarrassment for the administration. Adityanath, who started his address by hailing “Sanatan Dharma”, “Mother Ganga” and “Gau Mata” along with “Bharat Mata” said: “Some people are hatching a conspiracy against Sanatan Dharma by constantly misleading. Their character became known not just today but since the time of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. We have to be cautious against such people.” The CM said that in the last 19 days since the Maha Kumbh began, 32 crore people have taken bath in the Sangam, and claimed that all those who are leaving after their visit are praising the tradition of the place. As akharas are preparing for the next major holy bath on February 3, he told the sadhus that they are the “pillars of Sanatan Dharma” and they should take the mission of Sanatan Dharma forward. Earlier in the day, the CM conducted an aerial survey of the Kumbh area along with Cabinet Minister Nanda Gopal Gupta “Nandi” and senior officials to review the preparations for February 3 amrit snan. Later in the day, Adityanath accompanied Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who took a dip at the Sangam. He also visited a local hospital and met people injured during the January 29 stampede. He also met about 100 diplomats from 73 countries, including the US, Russia, Ukraine, Bangladesh, who had arrived in Prayagraj to witness Maha Kumbh.
