Over 3.82 Crore Devotees Attend Mauni Amavasya at Prayagraj; Political Controversy Arises
3.82 cr devotees take dips at Sangam on Mauni Amavasya; Akhilesh says probe seer's 'mistreatment'
The Economic TimesImage: The Economic Times
On Mauni Amavasya, over 3.82 crore devotees participated in holy dips at the Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. A political controversy erupted when police prevented seer Swami Avimukteshwaranand from accessing the site, leading to demands for an investigation from Akhilesh Yadav, leader of the Samajwadi Party.
- 01More than 3.82 crore devotees took part in the holy dip at the Sangam.
- 02Political tensions arose when police stopped seer Swami Avimukteshwaranand from entering the site.
- 03Akhilesh Yadav demanded a probe into the treatment of the seer, criticizing the BJP government.
- 04The Magh Mela has seen significant attendance, with 1.03 crore devotees on Makar Sankranti and 85 lakh on Ekadashi.
- 05District officials implemented various measures for safety and sanitation during the event.
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On the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, over 3.82 crore devotees took holy dips in the Ganga and at the Sangam in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, marking a significant event in the ongoing Magh Mela. Devotees began arriving from midnight, despite dense fog, and continued throughout the morning. However, a disruption occurred when police stopped Jyotirpeeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati from entering the bathing ghat with around 200-250 supporters, citing safety concerns. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticized the incident, calling for a probe into the alleged mistreatment of the seer and questioning the BJP-led government's handling of the event. He noted that similar issues had arisen during previous years, attributing them to the government's mismanagement. Meanwhile, district officials reported that flower petals were showered on devotees from a helicopter, following directives from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. To facilitate the large influx of pilgrims, various measures were implemented, including the installation of reflective tapes for navigation, deployment of civil defense volunteers, and the creation of temporary parking zones. Over 10,000 police personnel were assigned to ensure security, and significant sanitation efforts were made, including the installation of 25,000 toilets across the 800-hectare mela area.
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The large turnout at the Magh Mela highlights the cultural significance of the event for local communities and the need for effective crowd management and safety measures.
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