February 16, 2025: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has landed in controversy after calling the Maha Kumbh "faaltu" (meaningless) while commenting on the recent stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station. The tragic incident, which occurred as passengers rushed to board trains heading to Prayagraj, claimed 18 lives and left many injured.

Speaking to the media, Yadav termed the tragedy “unfortunate” and blamed the Railways for the mismanagement. However, his remark on the religious gathering triggered a political storm. “Kumbh ka kahan koi matlab hai. Faaltu hai Kumbh (Is there any meaning to Kumbh?... It is just meaningless),” he said, sparking outrage among Hindu religious groups and political opponents.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemned his statement, accusing him of disregarding Hindu sentiments. Bihar BJP spokesperson Manoj Sharma said, “This exposes the RJD’s mindset towards Hinduism. Lalu Prasad is making such comments due to his politics of appeasement.”

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha also slammed the RJD supremo, alleging that he was using the tragedy for political mileage. “He has always targeted Sanatan Dharma. Their attitude towards Hinduism is clear. Such statements reflect their appeasement politics,” Sinha said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police’s initial probe suggested that the stampede resulted from confusion among passengers between two similarly named trains—'Prayagraj Express' and 'Prayagraj Special'. The announcement of the latter’s arrival at Platform 16 misled passengers waiting at Platform 14, leading to a sudden rush and chaos.

Following the tragedy, the Railways has announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh each for the families of the deceased, ₹2.5 lakh for the seriously injured, and ₹1 lakh for those with minor injuries. A high-level probe has also been ordered into the incident.