Over 66 crore devotees at Kumbh silenced naysayers: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that the record number of devotees taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh proved naysayers wrong. He said that over 66 crore people visiting the Mahakumbh proved that it was a successful event organised on a grand scale. 

Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2025 on Saturday, the UP Chief Minister went on to say that it was not the "Mrityu Kumbh (the Kumbh of death)" like some people said, but Mrityunjay Kumbh (Kumbh's victory over death).

Notably, after the January 29 stampede at the Mahakumbh, which killed 30 people and injured many others, several opposition leaders questioned security arrangements at the event, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calling it a "Mrityu Kumbh".

During the conversation, Yogi Adityanath opened up on a range of issues, including the state's development, the 2027 elections, the Sambhal violence, the Gyanvapi mosque row and the controversy over Abu Azmi's remarks on Aurangzeb, among others. Watch the full interview here.