Fact Check: Akhilesh Yadav takes holy dip at Maha Kumbh Mela 2025? No, images are from Makar Sankranti
Images of Akhilesh Yadav taking a dip in a water body have gone viral as the SP leader attending the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
By Sibahathulla Sakib Published on 17 Jan 2025 11:10 AM IST
Claim: The images show SP leader Akhilesh Yadav attending the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj and taking a holy dip.
Fact: The claim is false. The pictures show Akhilesh Yadav celebrating Makar Sankranti festival in 2025 by taking a dip at Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
Hyderabad: The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, known as the worldās largest religious gathering, is currently underway in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The grand event, held every 12 years, draws millions of pilgrims from across India and beyond to the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. With over 400 million devotees expected to attend the 45-day-long festival, it remains a significant spiritual occasion for Hindus.
Against this context, images of Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav immersed in a large body of water alone at night have gone viral. Those sharing the images claim them as proof of Akhilesh Yadav participating in the Maha Kumbh Mela and taking a holy dip in the sacred confluence.
A Facebook user shared the images with the caption: āWhat a condition of you man. Akhilesh Yadav, did you think that Chuslims will get angry, if you come to the shahi bath in Kumbhamela like this, Akhilesh Yadav.ā (Translated from Kannada).
Similar claims appeared on X too, spreading the idea that the politician was part of the Maha Kumbh Mela celebrations.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The images are not from Prayagraj in UP but from Haridwar in Uttarakhand, where Akhilesh Yadav participated in the Makar Sankranti festivities in 2025.
A reverse image search led us to an X post from Akhilesh Yadavās official X account, where the viral photos were shared on January 14, 2025, with the caption, āTook blessings of Mother Ganga on the sacred festival of Makar Sankranti.ā (Translated from Hindi).
Additionally, through a keyword search, we found an NDTV report dated January 14, 2025, titled, āAkhilesh Yadav Takes Holy Dip in Ganga on Makar Sankranti.ā
The report, featuring one of the viral photos, also confirmed the location of the image as Haridwar, not Prayagraj. The report stated that although the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister did not reveal the location, party sources confirmed he took the dip in Haridwar.
What did Akhilesh Yadav say about visiting Kumbh Mela?
As per the NDTV report, Akhilesh did not give proper details about whether he will be attending the mela. When asked about it, Akhilesh said āhe had visited the religious congregation always.ā
To find out more about what the SP leader has said about attending the mela, we searched further and found a Dainik Bhaskar report. When asked about his trip to Prayagraj, Akhilesh Yadav said āI will go to Sangam when Maa Ganga calls me.ā (Translated from Hindi)
He also said, āDespite having so many resources, if there are shortcomings in the Maha Kumbh, then questions arise somewhere. We hope the government will pay attention to all those shortcomings and remove them.ā
The report featured the same viral photos of Akhilesh captioned āOn January 14, during Makar Sankranti, Akhilesh took a bath in the Ganga in Haridwar.ā
Reports from other media outlets, such as The Times of India and Hindustan Times, also confirmed that Akhilesh Yadav took a dip in the Ganga River in Haridwar on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Both featured the same image of Akhilesh Yadav taking a dip.
Makar Sankranti is a significant Hindu festival that marks the Sunās transition into Capricorn, symbolising the end of winter. Celebrated annually, it holds great importance for taking holy dips in sacred rivers. This year, it was observed on January 14, 2025.
Although his statements in the media about visiting Kumbh Mela were not conclusive, we can conclude that the images don't show him at Prayagraj.
Therefore, the claim that the images show Akhilesh Yadav taking a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj is false. The images are from Haridwar, where he celebrated Makar Sankranti on January 14, 2025.
