Former prime minister of Bihar and the president of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Lalu Yadav invited a controversy for his remarks on ‘Kumbh’ – the ongoing religious pilgrimage fair held every 12 years. 

“Kumbh ka kahan koi matlab hai, Faaltu hai kumbh (What is the meaning of Kumbh? It is meaning less),” he said.

His remarks garnered criticism by many for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments.

His son, Tejashwi Yadav, expressed deep sorrow over the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station, which claimed the lives of 18 people. 

Tejashwi, the leader of the opposition in the Bihar Assembly, accused the Central government of trying to cover up the incident instead of addressing public safety concerns.

He further criticised the "double-engine government" for "focusing on media PR" rather than ensuring proper arrangements for devotees and alleged that government attention is limited to VIP facilities, neglecting the common people.

"The mind is saddened by the untimely deaths caused by chaos and stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. Despite so many government resources, devotees are dying, and the double-engine government is busy doing PR by whitewashing these unfortunate incidents," he said.

"In this hour of grief, my sympathies are with the bereaved families. I pray to God for peace for the departed souls and a speedy recovery for the injured. Om Shanti," the former Deputy Chief Minister said.

This incident has sparked a political debate, with the opposition targeting the BJP-led Central government.

The stampede broke out at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night due to a huge crowd and chaos on platforms 13 and 14.

Many injured individuals were undergoing treatment at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital and Lady Hardinge Hospital in Delhi. The death toll may rise as some injured are in critical condition.

Railway officials have confirmed that overcrowding was the primary reason behind the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night.

According to an official, Prayagraj Express was stationed at platform 14, attracting a huge number of passengers, and Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express were delayed, causing passenger congestion to spiral out of control.

DCP Railway of New Delhi KPS Malhotra stated: "The Prayagraj Express was standing on platform 14, leading to a huge rush. Due to the late arrival of Swatantrata Senani Express and Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, the crowd swelled on platforms 12, 13, and 14, causing panic and chaos, which led to the stampede."

Authorities are now investigating the crowd management failure and working to ensure better safety measures at railway stations during peak hours.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)