AAP MP Sanjay Singh presented adjournment notice in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267
New Delhi: In order to debate the Mahakumbh stampede that took place in Prayagraj on January 29 and left 30 people dead and 60 wounded, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh filed a suspension of business notice in the Rajya Sabha on Monday under Rule 267.
Singh said in his letter to the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha that the Uttar Pradesh administration, headed by Yogi Adityanath, had a VIP culture and poor management, which was the cause of the “tragic” tragedy.
He also accused the UP government of distributing the Rs 7,500 crore allotted for preparations in an unfair manner.
“In the last 70 years, there have been six terrible stampedes during Mahakumbh, one of the biggest religious gatherings on the planet. This time, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government’s poor leadership and VIP culture were the cause of the terrible catastrophe. Singh said, “The unequal distribution of resources was evident even though over Rs 7,500 crore was spent on arrangements.”
He drew attention to the fact that VIPs and VVIPs had access to private Ganga baths, opulent cottages, and a round-the-clock control center, while regular devotees were forced to struggle across congested bridges and several obstacles.
“Eyewitnesses stated that before the stampede, pilgrims pleaded with the police to open additional routes, but their requests were ignored,” Singh continued.
“The most shocking aspect is that the price of a VIP pass was Rs 55,000 per person,” he stated, voicing worries about the purported VIP perks. Did the lives lost have this worth? In 2025, another disaster has taken 30 lives and wounded over 90. Stampedes have a history during the Kumbh Mela in 1840, 1906, 1954 (Allahabad), 1986 (Haridwar), 2003 (Nashik), and 2013 (Allahabad Railway Station).
He questioned the security measures for the current Mahakumbh, saying, “By February 3, over 340 million devotees had attended Mahakumbh, yet security measures were insufficient. VIPs had easy access, while other believers had to deal with dangerous circumstances.
Singh asked the Rajya Sabha to halt Rule 267 procedures so that the issue may be discussed right now.
In the Rajya Sabha, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj is scheduled to deliver a statement outlining the government’s response to the findings and suggestions in the 29th report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs (Seventeenth Lok Sabha). With particular reference to ICWA and RIS, the study focuses on the application of the 24th report’s recommendations on India’s policy planning and the function of think tanks.
The government’s answer to the 13th report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs concerning India’s Neighbourhood First Policy, which was previously covered in the 22nd report, will also be tabled by her.
The first report on ‘Demands for Grants’ (2024-25) for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, together with the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation, will be presented in the Lok Sabha by MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
