The Maha Kumbh, the world's largest spiritual gathering, is taking place right now in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. This once-in-144-years event has drawn millions of people to the city, all seeking to take a dip at the Sangam—the sacred confluence of the Yamuna, Ganga, and Saraswati rivers. These rivers hold immense religious significance in my culture. However, while they are revered as holy, they are also among the most polluted rivers in the world—but that’s a discussion for another day.

As with any massive gathering, arrangements for the safety and security of devotees are essential. The ruling Yogi Adityanath government had promised such arrangements, but that facade quickly crumbled after a deadly stampede on January 29.

In all honesty, this disaster had been looming for a while—arguably since the start of the Kumbh. Thousands of videos circulated online showing the severe shortcomings in infrastructure and crowd control: inadequate facilities, poor crowd management, and barely any visible police presence. But here’s the catch—these failures only affected ordinary people. Meanwhile, an entire section was cordoned off for "special guests," complete with proper amenities. It seems that at the Kumbh, the level of care and security you receive is determined by the size of your wallet.

To some extent, I understand that public figures may require additional security. However, prioritizing their comfort while neglecting the safety of the general public is a disgraceful move by the Yogi government.

Following the stampede, the government actively attempted to suppress the actual death toll in a cheap cover-up attempt. Officially, we were told that 30 people had died, but multiple ground reports—easily accessible online—challenge this figure. One report I recall was from an independent journalist who visited a hospital. She noted that the body bags were tagged with numbers, and the last one she saw was marked 40—while many more bodies were still arriving. So, what’s the real number? We may never know.

And, of course, no major gathering in India is complete without communal tensions being stirred up. This time, Muslims were barred from entering the Maha Kumbh Mela. Yet, what mainstream reports failed to highlight was how these same Muslims opened their homes and mosques to provide shelter and safety during the chaos of the stampede.

Not just in the aftermath—throughout the event, many ground reports show Muslims distributing food, water, snacks, and tea to devotees.

My country has never been this polarized. But in the last ten years under the BJP, the division has worsened. You might recall a viral video of a man distributing free food outside a hospital—only for those willing to chant "Jai Shree Ram." My country and my religion were never this insecure.

I want to end this piece by saying that I never thought I’d be one to post political news on my website. But after witnessing firsthand how narratives are being twisted to serve certain agendas, I can’t stay silent. This post might only reach 10 or 15 people, but if I can at least inform them of the truth, then I’ve done my duty as a journalist.