By Sanjay Parate
The report from the Central Pollution Control Board clearly indicates that the sacred purity of the Ganga, as described in our religious scriptures, is no longer intact at the Maha Kumbh. According to the report, the level of Coliform bacteria from fecal contamination at Sangam Ghat is 12,500 million per 100 milliliters of water, while at Shastri Bridge, it is 10,150 million per 100 milliliters—five to six times higher than the permissible limit of 2,000 million. The water, which the Modi-Yogi government claims is fit for drinking, is not only undrinkable but also unsafe for bathing. The National Green Tribunal has also validated this report, and both these institutions are government agencies. Whenever questions have been raised about the organization and management of the Kumbh Mela, the government has dismissed critics as anti-Hindu, anti-Sanatana, and attackers of religious faith. Now, the Modi-Yogi government must clarify whether these two government bodies are also anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatana.
A declared amount of ₹7,300 crore is being spent on organizing this Maha Kumbh, with an unofficial estimate of around the same amount. This raises a valid question: Is this massive sum still insufficient to provide clean water for pilgrims to bathe and drink? Notably, the Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, had claimed that filtration plants utilizing technology from India’s nuclear research centers were set up to maintain water quality. So, where have these technologies and plants disappeared? Why are devotees being forced to immerse themselves in sewage-polluted water to seek spiritual merit?
One must not forget that since 2014, thousands of crores have been spent on the Modi government’s Namami Gange project. The responsibility for Ganga purification was handed over to corporate houses, reflecting the BJP-RSS ideology that the private sector performs better than the public sector. If possible, they would even outsource governance to these private entities—something that is already happening indirectly. Yet, despite a decade of efforts, why has the Ganga not been cleaned? Where have thousands of crores from this project vanished?
The government’s claim that 350 million people attended the Maha Kumbh is highly exaggerated. However, even if we assume that half of this—150 million people—attended, the per capita expenditure would be ₹500. This amount is sufficient to provide every pilgrim with clean water. Is it possible that the claim of 500 million visitors—without any verifiable data—is a deliberate ploy to siphon off the massive funds allocated for the event?
It is not as though politicians, government officials, and agencies were unaware of the severe pollution in the Ganga. Had they been oblivious, the Prime Minister would have taken a dip like an ordinary pilgrim instead of doing so in a specially designed suit. His hesitation to fully submerge his head in the water was evident on TV channels, exposing his reluctance. But for him, the real purpose of the dip was to influence the elections in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Following his lead, BJP and RSS leaders, including the President, also participated in similar symbolic dips. The Sangh-BJP left no stone unturned in politically exploiting people’s religious faith, forcing devotees to immerse themselves in what could be called the “Kumbh of filth.” With every dip, worshippers unknowingly swallowed coliform bacteria—essentially fecal matter—because, in this era of scientific advancements, providing clean drinking and bathing water should not be a challenge. Ensuring hygiene at any public gathering is a fundamental government responsibility, one in which both Modi’s central government and Yogi’s state government have failed miserably.
To cover up this failure, the government is resorting to two tactics. First, the BJP-RSS IT cell is promoting the pseudoscientific claim that the Ganga has a self-purifying ability. If this were true, the entire Namami Gange project would be rendered pointless. Second, an unknown “expert,” whose credentials remain undisclosed, has been cited to issue a certificate claiming the Ganga water is germ-free and pure, contradicting the findings of the Central Pollution Control Board.
Has the Modi-Yogi government not only manipulated people’s religious faith but also waged a war against expert institutions like the Central Pollution Control Board and the National Green Tribunal?
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(The author is the Vice President of the Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha, affiliated with the All India Kisan Sabha.)
