'UP govt suppressed Maha Kumbh death toll,' says Rahul Gandhi, cites BBC report
New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cited a BBC report to allege that the number of people who died in stampedes during the Maha Kumbh was suppressed by the Uttar Pradesh government and accused the BJP of having no accountability.
"BBC report reveals that figures of deaths in Kumbh Mela stampede were hidden. Like in COVID, the bodies of the poor were erased from the statistics. Like after every major railway accident the truth is suppressed," he said in a post on X.
"This is the BJP model - if there is no counting of the poor, then there is no accountability either!" the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said.
On Tuesday, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav cited the same media report to accuse the Uttar Pradesh government of lying about the death toll in the January 29 Maha Kumbh stampede and said that those who provide "false statistics" are not worthy of public trust.
Yadav made the remarks in a post on X, citing a BBC report which claimed that 82 people died in the stampede. The toll is significantly higher than the official figure of 37.
BBC की रिपोर्ट बताती है कि कुंभ मेले की भगदड़ में हुई मौतों के आंकड़े छुपाए गए।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 11, 2025
जैसे COVID में गरीबों की लाशें आंकड़ों से मिटा दी गई थी।
जैसे हर बड़े रेल हादसे के बाद सच्चाई दबा दी जाती है।
यही तो BJP मॉडल है - गरीबों की गिनती नहीं, तो ज़िम्मेदारी भी नहीं!
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Dharmasthala mass burial case: Excavation begins near Netravati bathing ghat despite heavy rain
Belthangady: Labourers have begun digging operations near the Netravati bathing ghat in Dharmasthala at a riverside location identified by the key witness in the ongoing investigation.
Despite heavy rainfall hampering the operation, workers have commenced excavation at the first spot marked by the complainant. The SIT has prioritised this location as part of its search for possible buried remains.
The development has drawn large crowds, with hundreds of curious onlookers gathering near the Netravati ghat to witness the activity. Once excavation at the initial site is complete, the team is expected to move on to the next identified location.
Officials have indicated that the search team is likely to exit the forest area only during the midday meal break.
