Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during the Budget Session in the state assembly, claimed that Indian cricketer Mohammad Shami had taken a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj on Wednesday (February 19). However, this statement turned out to be incorrect as Mohammad Shami did not participate in the religious ritual at the Triveni Sangam.
Akhilesh Yadav Takes a Dig
Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav was quick to mock the UP Chief Minister over the blunder. Taking to social media, he sarcastically remarked, “Has the cricketer’s name also been changed now?” The comment was a pointed jibe at the BJP government’s history of renaming cities and landmarks in Uttar Pradesh.
In reality, the cricketer who took the dip was former Indian player Mohammad Kaif, who hails from Prayagraj. Kaif actively participated in the religious tradition during the ongoing Maha Kumbh.
Assembly Tensions Over Maha Kumbh Stampede
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s Budget Session had already started on a stormy note on February 18, with opposition members disrupting Governor Anandiben Patel’s address. They raised slogans and demanded clarity on the number of deaths caused by stampedes during the Maha Kumbh 2025.
