KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for its 'lack of planning' at the Maha Kumbh Mela, saying the spiritual gathering in Prayagraj has turned into a "Mrityu Kumbh".
The West Bengal CM claimed there was a disparity in the arrangements made for attendees in the Maha Kumbh.
"This is 'Mrityu Kumbh'. I respect Maha Kumbh, I respect the holy Ganga Maa. But there is no planning. How many people have been recovered? There are fooding and lodging arrangements for the VIP, there are systems available to get camps (tents) for as high as Rs 1 lakh. For the poor, there are no arrangements and a stampede-like situation arose in Kumbh Mela. What planning did you make for the poor," she said.
Addressing the state assembly on Tuesday, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief launched a broadside against the BJP on a range of issues including the deportation of illegal Indians from the US and the ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh.
The Bengal CM said that the Centre "should have sent our transport planes to bring back deportees from the US".
"I don't speak on issues of national security or foreign policy, but bringing back deportees from the US in chains is shameful," the Bengal CM added.
Ruling out any links with Bangladeshi fundamentalists, Mamata said if BJP could prove her connection with Bangladeshi fanatics, she would resign.
The chief minister accused the state unit of the BJP of using religion to serve its political interests and also condemned charges accusing her of being a member of the Muslim League.
Referring to a sit-in by BJP MLAs on the West Bengal assembly premises, Mamata said they were spreading canards that they are not allowed to speak in the Bengal assembly.
"Freedom of speech does not mean speaking about communalism or instigating against any religion. You are selling a particular religion...I have seen some videos where he (LoP Suvendu Adhikari) said that he is speaking about Hindu Dharma and that's why he has been suspended from the House," she said.
She further said that BJP MLAs were afraid of facing her and that's why they boycotted the House whenever she spoke.
Earlier in the day, BJP legislators led by Suvendu Adhikari staged a sit-in on the premises of the West Bengal Assembly in protest against alleged appeasement politics by the Mamata Banerjee government.
Reacting sharply to Mamata's remark, the BJP's Suvendu Adhikari appealed to the Hindu and saint community to strongly protest the CM's statement.
"If you are a true Hindu, rise above politics and strongly oppose these words of Mamata Banerjee," Adhikari said.
"I appeal to the Hindu community and saint community to register a strong protest. A little while ago, on the floor of the House (State Assembly), West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that this is not Maha Kumbh but 'Mrityu Kumbh'. Raise your voice against this attack on Hindu, on Maha Kumbh," he added.
BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya said Mamata's remark was a sign of her "imminent defeat" in next year's assembly polls.
Claiming that Mamata would face the same political fate as Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, Malviya said the TMC supremo "fears the worst".