Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India TV.
On Wednesday, I got an opportunity to go to Mahakumbh. I recorded a big show along the Ganges with Yogi Adityanath. Ask all the controversies related to Mahakumbh, curiosities, ask them all. Is the water of the confluence worth bathing? Did more than 9 million people really reach there in a week? How did people count? What is the arrangement of food for so many people? How is cleanliness in the fair area being taken care of? Will there be a cost of 7 and a half thousand crores on Mahakumbh this time? What will Uttar Pradesh get by spending so much?
Some questions were also political. For example, what was the need to hold a cabinet meeting in Mahakumbh? Is there a ban on the entry of Muslims in Mahakumbh? Is the slogan of ‘if you divide you, then you are heard’? Yogi Adityanath did not postpone any question. Openly answered every question. Thousands of people were in front and people were very excited to see Yogi. But stood far away. The police had imposed barricades.
When I saw from the stage that people are shouting slogans, shaking hands, I requested Yogi ji to ask the police to let these people come closer. Yogi immediately said, let everyone come, and then thousands of people running on the show were worth seeing. The slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ started echoing all around. The shout of ‘Har-Har Mahadev’ was heard.
The entire show will be aired on India TV on Saturday. A question of this and one answer, I showed you in the show ‘Aaj Ki Baat’ on Thursday night as an example. From this you will know how big this show was the public and how Yogi Adityanath responded.
I was able to stay a few hours in the city of Kumbh, but what was seen during this time was amazing. Thousands of people were walking on the pontun bridges all over the way, going on. Very limited vehicles were allowed to enter here. That is why people have to walk to reach the ghat. Some with a backpacks, some stuff was walking on the head. But no one showed upset. People were happy. Bhandare was installed everywhere. People were stopping and eating food. And then used to go on singing hymns.
On the way, the game of nuts appeared somewhere, the girl moving on the rope appeared. Baba appeared somewhere giving discourses. The street vendors, carts and khomche were earning a lot. Someone told me that a chaiwala earns 20 to 22 thousand rupees a day. A bed of 100 rupees is also available for stay and there is also a luxury tent of one lakh rupees, but everything was perfect.
I was most surprised to hear about the UP Police. People said, the police is helping as friends. If it stops somewhere, it requests. People were also surprised to see the police talking so lovingly. Those who were reaching Prayagraj by train told me that a large number of people are traveling from the railway but the railway station is very clean. Policemen are stationed at railway stations. Through the app in those who have an app in mobile, they tell the passengers that at what time will their train come on which platform will come. Police people at the railway station appeared to be protecting the old people especially from pushing.
This form of police is rarely seen. DGP of UP Police told me that the policemen were given 6 months training to treat people with love. In my show, Yogi also praised the police.
I think without going to Kumbh, it cannot be realized how big the work is and how skill it is being done. The most enthusiasm appeared among the saints who came to Mahakumbh. Different forms are being shown on TV from his discourse. Some raised hands, some fumigation, someone has also tongs. The most craze is with Naga sadhus. A saint told me that media people like you took the glory of Kumbh from house to house. Glamorized Mahakumbh. That is why such a large number of people are coming.
Yogis reach there every other day to organize Mahakumbh. On Wednesday, his entire cabinet was with him. It was only after the cabinet meeting that he came to Sangam Ghat for my show. (Rajat Sharma)
See: ‘Today’s talk with Rajat Sharma’ full episode of January 23, 2025
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