Why a Mulayam Singh Yadav statue at Maha Kumbh Mela has sparked a row

Maha Kumbh, the grand religious gathering, commenced on Monday, drawing hundreds of thousands of saints, seers, devotees, and pilgrims to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. The town got here alive as individuals from all walks of life arrived to take the holy dip and take part within the festivities.

Amid the religious fervour and bustling celebrations, a political storm brewed when Samajwadi Celebration leaders put in a statue of the get together’s late founder, Mulayam Singh Yadav, throughout the fairgrounds.

The transfer sparked sharp criticism from distinguished seers and spiritual leaders, who opposed the presence of the political determine’s statue on the spiritual occasion.

Right here’s a deeper dive into the unfolding controversy.

Why was Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statue put in?

The sculpture, roughly two to a few ft in peak, was unveiled on January 13 on the Sector 16 campsite established by the Mulayam Singh Yadav Smriti Seva Sansthan, an organisation devoted to selling the late chief’s legacy.

The statue was inaugurated by Mata Prasad Pandey, Chief of the Opposition within the Uttar Pradesh Meeting, who described it as a heartfelt homage to “Netaji” (a time period of endearment for Mulayam Singh Yadav) and his lasting affect.

“He was our chief, and the camp was organised to unfold his ideas and concepts,” Pandey advised PTI.

Mulayam Singh Yadav, who handed away in October 2022, stays a towering determine in Uttar Pradesh politics. As a three-time Chief Minister and former Defence Minister, he represented constituencies like Mainpuri and Azamgarh in a political profession spanning over 5 a long time as each an MLA and MP.

Explaining the aim of the camp, Pandey added, “Pilgrims and different persons are welcome to go to the camp, have meals, and keep there.” He clarified that the statue was put in “[symbolically]” to honour Yadav’s reminiscence and would later be shifted to the Samajwadi Celebration workplace after the Maha Kumbh Mela.

Nevertheless, the statue’s presence sparked disapproval from members of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the apex physique of Hindu spiritual leaders.

‘Anti-Hindu, Anti-Sanatani’

Mahant Ravindra Puri, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, strongly criticised the set up of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statue, accusing the late chief of persistently being “anti-Hindu” and “anti-Sanatan.”

He argued that the statue serves as a reminder to spiritual leaders of incidents the place, below Yadav’s management, members of their neighborhood had been “killed”.

“We now have no objection to Mulayam Singh Yadav’s statue. He was our Chief Minister, and nobody can deny his political significance. However what message are they making an attempt to convey by putting in this statue now?” Puri questioned.

“Everybody is aware of about his contribution or lack thereof to the Ram temple motion. He has at all times been perceived as anti-Hindu, anti-Sanatan, and favouring Muslims,” he added.

Juna Akhara’s Mahamandaleshwar Yati Narsinghanand echoed Puri’s sentiments, supporting the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad’s disapproval of the statue. Each leaders expressed issues that inserting the statue at an occasion as sacred because the Kumbh Mela, a significant Hindu spiritual gathering, was an insult to their beliefs.

1.5 crore took holy dip on the primary day

The 45-day Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 started early Monday, with an estimated 1.5 crore (15 million) devotees braving the extreme chilly to take a sacred dip on the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the legendary Saraswati in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

Crowds, below tight safety preparations, thronged the Triveni Sangam, performing the holy ritual believed to cleanse sins and produce them nearer to ‘moksha.’

Among the many sea of worshippers, the Naga Sadhus additionally made their presence felt. These mystics, with their ash-smeared our bodies, dreadlocked hair, and minimal clothes—sporting solely beads, garlands, and infrequently smoking wood pipes—captured the eye of holiday makers from all around the world.

Additionally learn:
Meet the ladies Naga Sadhus at Maha Kumbh

Total, the religious fervour introduced collectively individuals from throughout India and the world, united by their religion and devotion.

Within the subsequent 45 days, over 40 crore guests, together with worldwide pilgrims, are anticipated to attend the pageant. Moreover, seers declare the celestial permutations and mixtures for the occasion are going down after
144 years, making the event much more auspicious for the trustworthy.

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