NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a stinging attack at rival Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar, saying “jungle raj people are having a problem with Maha Kumbh“.
Using “jungle raj” to allude to Lalu Yadav‘s governance in Bihar, PM Modi those who were rattled by Ram Mandir in Ayodhya are now abusing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
“Jungle Raj people have a problem with our heritage. Currently, the Maha Kumbh is going on in Prayagraj. People, more than the population of the entire Europe, have taken a dip in Kumbh. Jungle Raj wale Kumbh ko hi gali de rhe hai (People of Jungle Raj are abusing Kumbh). Those who got rattled by Ram Mandir are not sparing words to criticise Kumbh. Bihar will never forgive these people,” PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Bihar’s Bhagalpur.
PM Modi’s remark came days after RJD chief Lalu Prasad dismissed the significance of the Maha Kumbh, calling it “useless” while blaming the Railways for the deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed at least 18 lives.
When asked about his suggestion regarding crowd management for the Mahakumbh, he said, “Kumbh ka kahan koi matlab hai. Faaltu hai kumbh (Kumbh has no meaning. Kumbh is useless).”
Even on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tore into the opposition parties over recent political remarks on Maha Kumbh, saying those with a “slave mentality keep attacking the Hindu faith“.
Criticising the comments on the ongoing Maha Kumbh being held in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, PM Modi said a section of leaders “mock and ridicule” the Hindu religion and try “weaken the country” with foreign backing. He said that everyone is “naturally awestruck” by the grand event, which “will continue to inspire future generations as a symbol of unity”.
Earlier, West Bengal chief CM Mamata Banerjee had also taken a dig at Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath over Maha Kumbh, saying the spiritual gathering in Prayagraj has turned into “Mrityu Kumbh”.
The West Bengal CM also claimed there was a disparity in the arrangements made for attendees in the Maha Kumbh and that the administration lacked proper planning.
Later, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav came out in support of Mamata Banerjee’s “Mrityu Kumbh” statement, raising concerns over what he described the Uttar Pradesh government’s “inadequate preparations” for the grand spiritual event in Prayagraj.
Before Mamata, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had hit out at Union home minister Amit Shah over his Maha Kumbh visit, saying Shah’s “dip in Ganga won’t remove poverty”.
Launching a massive broadside against the BJP, the Congress chief said the leaders of the saffron party were “competing with each other to take the dip in the Ganga river for the sake of cameras”. Kharge, however, clarified that he did not wish to hurt anyone’s “aastha” (faith).