Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav took a sharp jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday after the latter mentioned that cricketer Mohammed Shami had taken a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh.
CM Yogi, while dismissing allegations of discrimination at the Kumbh, stated, “There is no basis for such claims. Cricketer Mohammed Shami also took a holy dip.” However, there has been no confirmation whether Shami actually visited the event.
Taking a dig at Yogi’s renaming spree, Akhilesh Yadav sarcastically questioned, “Has the cricketer’s name also been changed?”
Yogi’s Name Change Drive Under Fire
Akhilesh Yadav’s remark is a direct criticism of Yogi Adityanath’s extensive renaming campaign, where several Mughal and British-era names have been altered since 2017.
Among the key changes:
• Mughalsarai Railway Station renamed Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction
• Allahabad renamed Prayagraj
• Proposals to rename Aligarh as Harigarh and Firozabad as Chandra Nagar
• Azamgarh, Akhilesh Yadav’s parliamentary constituency, proposed to be renamed Aryangarh
Akhilesh Yadav Supports Mamata, Slams Maha Kumbh Arrangements
Akhilesh Yadav also backed West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Mrityu Kumbh’ remarks, accusing the UP government of mishandling the event. He claimed that a large number of people from Bengal had died during the gathering and FIRs were not being registered in UP.
He alleged that CM Yogi was misleading people by stating that preparations were made for 100 crore devotees and accused the BJP of using public emotions to cover up governance failures.
Mamata Banerjee had earlier criticized the Kumbh’s organizers, alleging VIP attendees received luxury tents worth ₹1 lakh, while the poor lacked basic facilities.
Yogi Adityanath Hits Back at Opposition
Responding to opposition attacks, Yogi Adityanath defended the arrangements, stating that the event was well-managed and opposition parties were trying to defame Sanatan Dharma and the Maha Kumbh.
“So far, over 56.25 crore devotees have taken a holy dip. This is not an event organized by any government but by society itself,” Yogi remarked.
He also condemned the politicization of the January 29 stampede and road accidents related to Kumbh, saying, “Our sympathies are with the victims, and the government stands with their families. But how appropriate is it to politicize this?”
