Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday likened the Waqf Board to land mafias after claims that the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is being held on a waqf property.

Adityanath, while speaking at an event of a private news channel here, also said that anyone from any religion “who respect India and its eternal traditions” are welcome to attend the Maha Kumbh, according to an official statement.

“The Mahakumbh is being organized in a sprawling area of over 10,000 acres, with designated pandals and separate parking facilities covering more than 5,000 acres,” he said.

Asserting that Kumbh has been held on this land in Prayagraj for thousands of years, he said, “If someone now calls this land Waqf Board property, we must ask whether it belongs to the Waqf Board or land mafias…we will put an end to this.”

Adityanath said his government has amended the Waqf Act and is actively investigating all “occupied” land.

“This is the land where Kumbh has been celebrated for generations. It is unacceptable for anyone to undermine the faith of millions by claiming it is Waqf land,” he said.

On the controversy surrounding participation of Muslims in the Maha Kumbh, the chief minister said that “those who respect India, its ethos, and its eternal traditions are welcome to attend”.

However, he warned individuals coming here with malicious intent, saying, “Such sentiments will not be appreciated and may warrant a different response. Such people should stay away. But anyone who arrives with reverence and faith is wholeheartedly welcome in Prayagraj.”

He said that many individuals whose ancestors embraced Islam under specific historical circumstances still take pride in India’s traditions, the statement said.

“They identify their ‘gotras’ with the names of Indian sages, participate in festivals, and cherish their cultural roots. If such people come to take a holy dip in the Sangam out of tradition and devotion, they are most welcome,” he said.

However, he warned against anyone arriving to assert ownership over the land, stating, “Those who claim this land as theirs and seek to occupy it may face consequences, including corrective action.”

Discussing inclusivity, Adityanath noted that in previous years, saints from some northeastern and southern states could not participate in the Maha Kumbh. “This time, the Maha Kumbh will truly reflect the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat, with saints and devotees from across the nation in attendance.”

Slamming opposition parties, the chief minister said that the BJP had never associated itself with the organization of the Maha Kumbh 2025.

He said, “…Before 2017, this event was synonymous with dirt and chaos. What was the situation in the Maha Kumbh-2013?”

Adityanath said the then prime minister of Mauritius had come to take a bath in 2013, and, seeing the disorder and filth, “he had said with a sad heart, is this the Ganga? And went back”, according to the statement.

Referring to the visit of Mauritius prime minister to Varanasi, he said that we had requested him to take a dip in the Sangam. Accepting the invitation, the prime minister, accompanied by 450 others, visited Prayagraj and participated in the holy dip, expressing great happiness afterward.

On allegations of pollution in river water at Sangam, the CM said that he came here several times but never fell ill after taking a dip.

He said, “I have come to the banks of Sangam. I bathed in the water and sipped it. My health has not deteriorated. Some people have taken the contract of spreading false propaganda.”

“Currently, over 10,300 cusecs of water flows in the Ganga and Yamuna, making it so pure that one can bathe and even sip it without hesitation. I have done it myself, and this reflects my faith,” he added.