Maha Kumbh stampede: BJP MLA accuses UP officials of working under influence of Samajwadi Party
Ghaziabad, Feb 2 (PTI): BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Loni, Nand Kishore Gujjar, on Sunday demanded a high-level probe into the Maha Kumbh stampede alleging that "officials in UP were working under the influence of the Samajwadi Party."
His comment comes a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hinted at a conspiracy to undermine Sanatan Dharma and the Maha Kumbh.
At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in a stampede that broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on January 29.
Gujjar also accused the officers of prioritising VIP treatment for their families while ordinary pilgrims struggled at the Maha Kumbh.
"MLAs, who hold a higher position than officers, were forced to stand in queues while bureaucrats' wives received VIP protocol," he told PTI.
A video of Gujjar’s statement has gone viral on the social media platform X, where he said that it was not the deaths (of pilgrims) but murders.
"I urge CM Yogi Adityanath to register an FIR against the Chief Secretary and his associates for looting the Maha Kumbh budget. He is responsible for the deaths of pilgrims (at the Maha Kumbh) and should be jailed under the NSA," he alleged.
After the incident, the UP government has already constituted a three-member judicial commission headed by former Justice Harsh Kumar, which will also include former DGP VK Gupta and retired IAS officer DK Singh. The Commission has begun its probe.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh each for the kin of the deceased.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
