'Modiji said we could travel without tickets'

A video purportedly from Buxar in Bihar has been going viral on social media in which a man identified as divisional railway manager (DRM) Jayant Chaudhary of Danapur zone is seen and heard asking a group of women passengers travelling to Prayagraj (Allahabad) for the Maha Kumbh 2025 why they have turned up without tickets.

"Who told you that you could travel without a ticket?" the DRM asks in Hindi. To which a woman is heard replying, "Narendra Modi," to the accompaniment of much laughter from onlookers. A clearly startled but amused DRM pauses a little before saying, "But Narendra Modi said no such thing. Has someone in your village been saying so? Do none of you have tickets?"

While various outfits closely or loosely affiliated to the Sangh Parivar have been drumming up the Maha Kumbh in an attempt to make it the grandest display of religious fervour this nation has ever seen — with some even terming those who skip Kumbh as 'anti-national' and 'anti-Hindu' — for many pilgrims, travelling to Prayagraj has been a financial and logistical nightmare.

It could well be that the women in the video were told they wouldn't need tickets to travel since they were doing such a great deed — making the pilgrimage to Kumbh to support 'Modiji'. And many seem to believe this was indeed the case.

As one user wrote on social media, 'The whole country is in a state of "mass hysteria" over Modiji's name. It means that 80 per cent of the common people have been brainwashed into thinking that whatever good is happening in the country is only because of Modiji. If widows are getting pension, it is Modiji who is paying it from his own pocket. What will he say now?'

'First, the BJP spreads the lie that Modiji has made trains free for Kumbh. Then when the crowd reaches the station, fines are collected from the passengers. When a stampede occurs, the BJP IT cell blames the public. The whole country is watching what a cheap and dirty game the BJP is playing.'

The reference, of course, is to the twin stampedes linked to Maha Kumbh, at Prayagraj on 29 January and at New Delhi railway station on the night of 15 February, accounting for nearly 50 deaths if official figures are to be trusted. But neither tragedy seems to have dampened the enthusiasm among pilgrims.

As another user wrote, 'BJP workers went to the panchayats of the country and told people to come to Kumbh Mela, that train travel was free, stay at the fair, food, everything is free. People from every corner of the country flocked to it, and the result is now out, though Yogiji is filling UP's treasury with 3.5 lakh crore from Kumbh Mela.'

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath went on record stating his administration was ready to welcome 100 crore visitors at the start of the fair. Well, he's getting his wish.