A complaint has been filed against Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Afzal Ansari following his controversial comments on the current Maha Kumbh. The complaint alleges that Ansari’s comments not only offended the dignity of his office but also offended the religious sentiments of Hindus.
Ansari is reported to have challenged the belief that bathing at the Sangam—where the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers converge—cleanses one of all sins. He added that if all sinners bathed in holy water at the Maha Kumbh, heaven would be “houseful.”
His words were, “It is believed that people’s sins will be washed away by taking a holy dip at the Sangam during Maha Kumbh. Seeing the huge crowd, it appears now no one will remain in hell, and heaven will be houseful.”
Alongside his remarks regarding the religious significance of the Kumbh, Ansari further condemned the government for not issuing the proper figure for the fatalities in a recent stampede inside the event premises where 30 individuals lost their lives and another 60 sustained injuries, reports from official estimates suggest.
The complaint has been filed by former District Cooperative Bank President Dev Prakash Singh. It is not the first time that Ansari has been in the midst of controversy over his comments on religion. Earlier, he had suggested that smoking cannabis is prevalent among sadhus and saints during the Kumbh Mela, where he had drawn strong criticism from Hindu groups.
Ghazipur Superintendent of Police Dr. Iraj Raja confirmed that an FIR under Sections 299 and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered. He said religious festivals like the Kumbh Mela see massive use of cannabis, laughing that even a full goods train of cannabis would not meet demand.
The backlash to Ansari’s remarks has been swift, with Hindu religious authorities and organizations accusing him of sulllying their traditions. Ansari countered by issuing an unconditional apology, saying that his remarks were intended to bring attention to drug smuggling and not to attack religious traditions.
