Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India TV.
The Mahakumbh ended in Prayagraj on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. This unprecedented event of 45 days is being discussed all over the world. Unprecedented because people around the world have never seen such an ocean of faith before. In 45 days, more than 66 crore 30 lakh devotees took a dip in the confluence. Every day more than 125 crore devotees reached Mahakumbh. More than fifty lakh foreign devotees came. People from more than seventy countries arrived. The whole world is surprised to see that twice the population of America, double from the population of France and Britain, five times the population of Russia, more than a total of more than a hundred countries of the world reached Prayagraj, but there was no chaos, no one had many problems. No one was invited to come to Mahakumbh. Everyone came to Mahakumbh by drowning in devotion, devotion. Taken a dip of faith and returned. What else is this miracle? That is why Yogi Adityanath’s management art is being praised all over the world.
The big thing is that it was not a government event. It was a fair of Sanatan’s tradition, India’s cultural power. In this Mahakumbh, the poor and rich to rich people arrived. Mahakumbh benefited UP’s economy by Rs 3 lakh crore. Apart from Prayagraj, the picture of Ayodhya, Kashi and Vindhyavasini changed due to Mahakumbh. In 45 days, UP became the center of the world’s largest religious pilgrimage. It was a great courage to organize Mahakumbh on such a large scale and this was shown by Yogi. This event was successful, it is nothing short of a miracle. There is a risk when crores of people come together at one place. Anything could have happened. One night a stampede took place, a tragic accident happened, it should not be forgotten. If so many people went to bathe in one place together, some epidemic could spread. If crores of people were together, there could have been something untoward. But what happened is amazing, is the grace of God.
This Maha Kumbh of Mahakumbh has proved that if there is a will, 66 crore people can be managed. If technology is used properly, security can be provided. If there is a communication skill, there can be arrangements for millions of people to come. If people get support, arrangements can be made to eat millions of people every day. The behavior of a frightening police can always be friendly. Thousands of religious leaders and saintly saints can be respected. Poor and rich can be given an opportunity to dip in the confluence without any discrimination. If there is efficiency of business, then by spending 7 and a half thousand crores, a business of three lakh crores can be done. Despite rumors, people’s trust can be won by skilled management. That is why this time Mahakumbh will be remembered as an unimaginable experience. This event of Mahakumbh was the fire test of Modi and Yogi. Both of them lived in this exam. The value of Sanatan increased all over the world. India’s confidence in the management art, capacity and skills across the world increased. The whole world believed that anyone could not do it, India did it. The echo of this unprecedented event will be heard all over the world for years. This is the biggest achievement of Sanatan, India.
New miracle of Baba Bageshwar
In Mahakumbh, the devotional form of Sanatan was seen, but on the day of Mahashivaratri, Sanatan’s service was seen in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh. In Bageshwar Dham, Acharya Dhirendra Shastri got 251 poor and destitute daughters married. President Draupadi Murmu blessed 251 couples at the ceremony. Dhirendra Shastri gets poor daughters married every year for 5 years. So far, 669 poor daughters have been married. Among the 251 poor girls who started new life, 108 are from tribal society, while 143 are poor daughters of Sanatan Samaj. Dhirendra Shastri informed that his workers roam from village to village and find out about daughters who are destitute, who are not parents, who are very poor. In his speech, Dhirendra Shastri became emotional, when he said that the family did not have money for his sister’s marriage, people were not even ready to give loans, he knows what the poor daughter and her family pass were passed. That is why he has vowed that what happened to him will not let anyone else happen. Acharya Dhirendra Shastri was still known as Baba who performed a miracle. He has a lot of reputation as a skilled narrator, but today he has come to know a new form as a pioneer. He is also building a cancer hospital in Bageshwar Dham. I think the religious leaders, mandarish and saint society will support the poor in this way, then the poor will get support. If the amount coming as offerings in temples is used for education, health and nutritious food for the poor, then the country will get strength.
BJP focus on castes in Bihar
Nitish Kumar’s cabinet expanded eight months before the election in Bihar. Seven new ministers took oath. The seven belong to the BJP. Now the number of ministers of BJP in Nitish cabinet has increased to 21, while JDU has a total of 13 ministers including the Chief Minister. The ministers who have been given a place in the cabinet are the highest number of ministers from Mithilanchal. There is no rocket science to understand why the cabinet expanded in Bihar, how it happened, who got a chance. It is a simple matter. They all know that caste dominates in Bihar elections. Lalu Yadav’s focus is on Dalit, backward and Muslim votes. Backward population in Bihar is more than 27 percent while about 36 percent belonging to the most backward society. Only these two together become about 63 percent. Since it is believed that the Yadavs get the vote of RJD, the BJP’s focus is on other castes of backward classes whose vote is about 50 percent. That is why keeping the election in mind, 5 out of 7 ministers are from other backward classes. The BJP has tried to keep caste equations before the election.
Cricket: England’s defeat to Afghanistan
The Afghanistan team, which is considered a novice in the Champions Trophy, surprised everyone by defeating England by 8 runs. In the match, Afghanistan first beat the England bowlers. Set a big target of 325 runs. The match will be remembered for the brilliant batting of Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran. Ibrahim scored 177 runs and this is the biggest innings played by any batsman in the Champions Trophy. He hit 12 fours and six sixes in 146 balls and was dismissed in the last over of the innings. After this, England batsmen also did tremendous banting. Joe Root scored 120 runs off 111 balls, but Afghan bowlers dominated. Azmatullah Umarzai took 5 wickets for 58 runs. Afghanistan’s team is playing for the first time in the Champions Trophy. Ibrahim shocked everyone by playing the most brilliant innings of the Champions Trophy so far. Afghanistan’s team has great talent, just lacks experience. That is why she loses on the verge of victory many times. But on Wednesday, he overturned the dice. (Rajat Sharma)
See: ‘Today’s talk with Rajat Sharma’ full episode of February 26, 2025
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