Akhilesh Yadav demands extension of Maha Kumbh as millions still head to join mega Hindu festival 

He said the previous edition of the festival was longer than the ongoing one in Prayagraj.

"Due to the poor arrangements of the fair and being forced to walk for 20 kilometers, lakhs of elderly people could not come here. Due to high prices, the poor could not reach here. And even lakhs of local residents of Prayagraj could not take bath due to traffic jam and guests," Yadav wrote on X.

"Therefore, our demand is that the arrangements in the fair should be extended for a few more days so that the elderly, poor or Prayagraj residents who have been deprived of bathing can get an opportunity to earn merit," he said.

He accused the BJP-led state government of concealing the actual number of people who attended the festival.

Claiming that the festival has failed, Yadav wrote: "We believe that about 60 crore people have taken bath in Maha Kumbh. The government is showing a reduced figure because tomorrow when the international media or university will study the administration and management of this fair, they will find that proper administration and management was not done according to the number of people who came. Which is the failure of the BJP government."

"That is why after the fair failed, they are deliberately showing a lower number. They may say anything about the fair from the stage, but deep down they also know that their own shortcomings were behind the failure of the fair, due to which the image of UP has been greatly hurt in the country and the world," he said.

The Maha Kumbh Festival, also known as The Great Pitcher Festival, began on January 13.

It is scheduled to end on February 26.

The Uttar Pradesh government claimed 50 crore people took a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam (the congregation point of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers).

Nations like the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Bangladesh all have smaller populations than those who have immersed themselves in the sacred waters of Sanatan Dharma.  

According to the US Census Bureau, among the world's top 10 most populous countries are India (1,41,93,16,933), China (1,40,71,81,209), America (34,20,34,432), Indonesia (28,35,87,097), Pakistan (25,70,47,044), Nigeria (24,27,94,751), Brazil (22,13,59,387), Bangladesh (17,01,83,916), Russia (14,01,34,279) and Mexico (13,17,41,347).

Roads leading to Maha Kumbh witnessed severe traffic congestion and visuals of packed up railway coaches have been circulating on the social media ever since the festival began.