Sitharaman, who was accompanied by her family, described the experience as a “profound moment” in the Sanatan tradition, as per an official statement. BJP MP from Bangalore South, Tejasvi Surya, emphasised the global significance of the Maha Kumbh, stating,
“Today, I had the privilege of taking a dip in the Sangam along with hundreds of BJYM workers. No event of this scale has ever been organised anywhere in the world. The greatest aspect of Maha Kumbh is its spirit of unity, bringing together people from across the country and beyond.”
Also read | Over 50 lakh devotees from Nepal take holy dip at Sangam during Maha Kumbh
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu commented, “This tradition has continued for generations. I feel fortunate to have witnessed and participated in the Maha Kumbh in my lifetime. The energy and positivity here are incredible.” Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde expressed his gratitude for being part of what he called a “once-in-a-lifetime” event.
“Maha Kumbh comes once in 144 years, and I consider myself lucky to attend it. Crores of people are here to take a holy bath, making this a truly magnificent spiritual confluence,” Shinde added.
Also read | Over 50 crore devotees visit Maha Kumbh; 11 days remain for event to conclude
Meanwhile, legal action has been initiated against 101 social media accounts in 10 cases for allegedly spreading misleading information related to the Maha Kumbh and Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh Police said on Wednesday.
The action followed directives from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to curb fake news and misinformation regarding the mega event. According to Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar, a comprehensive cyber patrolling strategy was implemented to monitor and counter the spread of misleading content.
Under this initiative, Uttar Pradesh Police and expert agencies have been continuously tracking social media platforms for fake posts, rumours, and cyber offences related to the Maha Kumbh.
On Wednesday, it was found that certain accounts falsely linked a video from Pakistan’s Karak district to the Maha Kumbh stampede in Prayagraj.
The video was accompanied by a song titled “Ye Prayagraj Hai”, with a claim that “even serving one’s parents won’t cleanse sins, but here, people are losing their lives while trying to wash away their sins”.
Upon verification, it was confirmed that the footage actually depicted a road accident in Pakistan from January 2025, caused by the brake failure of a trailer.
The Kumbh Mela administration and the Uttar Pradesh Police have officially refuted the claims on their social media handles.
As part of the ongoing crackdown, an FIR has been registered against 26 social media accounts by the Kotwali Kumbh Mela Police for attempting to incite fear and defame the event by falsely portraying the accident as a stampede during the Maha Kumbh.
The police said that since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh, a total of 10 cases have been registered against 101 different social media accounts for spreading misinformation.
On January 13, a case was registered against an X account that falsely portrayed a fire safety mock drill in the Kumbh Mela area as an actual fire incident.
On February 2, action was taken against seven accounts that shared a Nepal-based video with misleading claims that it depicted grieving families carrying bodies of victims following the stampede at Maha Kumbh.
