Narendra Modi claims 'thousands died' in 1954 Kumbh stampede, media suppressed news to protect Nehru; reports put toll at 800

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, while lauding the arrangements by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh for this year’s Kumbh Mela, claimed that “thousands died” during the 1954 stampede at the religious gathering in Allahabad when Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister. “When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was prime minister, thousands of people were killed in the Kumbh stampede in Allahabad,” Modi said at an election rally in Kaushambi. The prime minister alleged that for saving the image of the then government, the media too suppressed the news. Reports from the time put the toll in the hundreds, with some saying around 800 were killed. “The stampede victims’ families names were never mentioned and not a single rupee was given to them (as compensation). It was insensitivity and this sin was committed by the country’s first prime minister,” Modi claimed. In his memoir published by Hindi magazine Chayakriti, Amrit Bazar Patrika photographer NN Mukherjee described the horrors he witnessed during the 1954 stampede. [caption id=“attachment_6488741” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Image courtesy: Twitter/@narendramodi[/caption] “The then prime minister (Jawaharlal Nehru) and president Rajendra Prasad were to come for a bath at Sangam on the same day. Thus all the police and administrative officers were busy making arrangements for their arrival,” The Statesman quoted Mukherjee as saying in his memoir. “At around 10.20 am, Nehru_ji_ and Rajendra Babu’s car came in from the Triveni Road, went past the barrier and headed for the Kila Ghat. A large number of onlookers, who had been stopped on both sides of the barrier, began breaking past the barriers down towards the ghat,” Mukherjee further said, adding that the stampede began when a procession of sadhus on the other side of the barrier went awry due to the crowd breaking past the barriers. It should be noted, however, that although Nehru was present at Kumbh when the stampede took place, he did not take a dip at Sangam, The Quint reported. Praising the efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in successfully organising Kumbh in Prayagraj, Modi said, “Earlier, there used to be allegations of corruption and commission in Kumbh against ministers, officers and contractors but this time, there was no such allegation and the event was successful.” Continuing his attack over the 1954 stampede, the prime minister said, “There was Congress government in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre. From Panchayat to Parliament, there was only Congress. Some parties even did not exist at that time. You will be astonished to know that there was a stampede in which thousands were killed.” “This time, no stampede happened. The arrangements changed with change in government.” The prime minister said he was privileged to attend several Kumbh melas in the past. “I came here towards the end of the Kumbh mela in Prayagraj so that pilgrims did not get affected. Those entrusted with the cleanliness work have changed the image of the country with their works. I got privilege to wash the feet of some during my visit,” he said. With inputs from PTI