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Among heavy criticism of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remarks on Prayagraj's Mahakumbh, spiritual leader Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj on Wednesday supported the CM, saying that the religious event has been mismanaged.
"There was a traffic jam of 300 kilometres, if this is not mismanagement then what is? People had to walk 25-30 km with their luggage. The water coming for bathing is mixed with sewage water and the scientists don't consider it fit for bathing. Yet you are forcing crores of people to bathe in it," the spiritual leader told ANI. He was referring to the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) report of January 12-13, which said that the river quality did not meet the bathing criteria for most locations. However, the quality with respect to Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) met the criteria. "Your job was to either stop the drains for a few days or divert them so that people could get pure water while bathing. You knew 12 years ago that Kumbh would come, then why did you not make any efforts in this regard?" the leader questioned. Talking about the Mahakumbh stampede at Mauni Amavasya, he alleged that the government also tried to hide the total number of deaths. "Crowd management and hospitality principles were not followed. Even when people died, they tried to hide it, which was a grave crime. In such a situation, if someone calls it names, then we won't be able to oppose it," he added. Meanwhile, Rajasthan MLA and BJP leader Swami Balmukundacharya condemned the West Bengal CM, saying that she has insulted the Mahakumbh. "Mamata Banerjee has insulted Kumbh and hurt our sentiments for our deities and rivers. People of India are watching this. In the time to come, TMC will be wiped out just like Congress has been wiped out. They have insulted Sanatana," he said. CM Banerjee, while addressing the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday expressed her respect for the holy 'Ganga Maa' and her significance to Mahakumbh, but strongly criticised the "inadequate arrangements" which resulted in the stampedes on January 29 in Prayagraj and February 15 in New Delhi Railway station. In her statement, Mamata Banerjee said, "This is 'Mrityu Kumbh'. I respect Mahakumbh, I respect the holy Ganga Maa. But there is no planning. How many people have been recovered? Stampede situation is common in a 'mela' but it is important to make arrangements. "What planning did you do?" (ANI)
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