How Opposition fell short on Maha Kumbh narrative: Absent Gandhis; Mamata, Lalu’s remarks

The Opposition parties were united in targeting the Centre and the state government over the two stampedes — at Prayagraj and New Delhi railway stations — that claimed several lives. They accused the two governments of promoting the event without putting in place adequate steps to manage crowds. But politically, the Opposition perhaps lacked a nuanced language to engage with the multitudes of devotees.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stirred a controversy referring to the event as “Mrityu Kumbh (Kumbh of death)” for the UP government’s alleged mismanagement. She later clarified that her remarks were not directed at the pilgrims but at the lack of proper planning and preparation for the event.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge too weighed in at one point, saying BJP leaders were competing with each other to take a dip at the Sangam for the cameras, and asked, “Tell me … will poverty be eradicated by taking a dip in the Ganga? Would that give you food to fill your stomach?” Blaming the government for the stampede at the New Delhi railway station, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad said the Kumbh was “faltu (meaningless)”.

Many in the Opposition, including the Congress, believe that the political attacks on the Central government and the Adityanath-led UP administration over the stampedes and overall management of the Kumbh were in order. Perhaps it should have been nuanced, they added.

“Modi has already used Lalu’s statement in Bihar to argue that the Opposition is badmouthing the Kumbh. Now these are unnecessary sticks that we often give to the BJP to beat us with,” said a Congress leader.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was one of the few Opposition figures to provide a nuanced take. Asked about Lalu and Kharge’s comments, he said at The Indian Express Idea Exchange event, “Who am I to question anybody’s faith? Different religions manifest themselves differently. I went for Umrah (pilgrimage to Mecca) a few months ago and some people can say why should it matter? My faith dictates that I go, I went. Now, if somebody’s faith dictates that they go and take a holy bath for the Maha Kumbh, why should we poke holes? Why give the BJP a chance to say that these people are against Hindus?”

Many Congress leaders, including Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, Sachin Pilot, and Digvijaya Singh, took a dip in the Sangam. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav too was in Prayagraj. Congress leaders said religion and spirituality were a personal choice, a stand the party took during the Ram Temple consecration last year.

The absence of the Gandhis

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi took a dip at the Kumbh in 2001, still early days in her political career. She was then the Leader of the Opposition and was at the receiving end of a campaign questioning her Indianness. Politics and faith had fused for the Congress then. Sonia wanted to visit the Kumbh again in 2007 but, according to Congress leaders, the plan was cancelled because the then SP government failed to provide adequate security.

The Gandhis stayed away this time. There was speculation that Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition, might visit Kumbh to take a dip but it never materialised. This was surprising since Gandhi has often shown his spiritual side, not just by visiting temples but also by referring to Shiva, the Abhay Mudra, and Hindu scriptures in his Parliament addresses.

His rivals, however, have taken note. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday alleged that Gandhi and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had “insulted” Hindus by not visiting the Maha Kumbh and suggested that Hindu voters should boycott them.

Asked about Thackeray and the Gandhi family not visiting Maha Kumbh, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde told reporters on Thursday, “Those who skipped Maha Kumbh should be asked why they skipped it. They keep saying they are Hindus. Bal Thackeray proudly gave the slogan ‘garv se kaho hum Hindu hain (proudly proclaim we are Hindu), but now they are scared of calling themselves a Hindu and call (Bal Thackeray) Hindu Hriday Samrat.”

“There is nothing wrong in going to the Kumbh or not going,” said a Congress leader. “Faith is a personal matter. A vast majority of the Congress leaders are believers. But Kumbh is not like the consecration of the Ram Temple where we had to take a stand after our top leadership got invitations, but it would have been better had the Opposition avoided making remarks that the BJP can turn and spin to project as anti-Hindu.”