Rawat opens Ardhakumbh mela, slams Centre over funds

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday inaugurated the four-month Ardhakumbh mela at Har Ki Pauri. He slammed the Centre for ‘not releasing’ funds for the event. 

Rawat presided over the ceremony to mark the formal opening of this year’s mela, which began on January 1. He lashed out at the Centre for ‘not releasing’ funds to the state government for organising it.

However, he assured the devotees gathered here from across the country of a ‘trouble-free and cherishable’ Ardhakumbh experience.

“Despite an attitude of utter neglect on the part of the Centre which has not released funds for the event so far, we have made all necessary arrangements for devotees out of our own limited resources and I can assure pilgrims coming to Haridwar from across the country and abroad that they will have a trouble-free and cherishable Ardhakumbh experience,” Rawat said.

In September last year, Rawat had sought a special assistance of Rs 500 crore from the Centre for the safe conduct of Ardhakumbh mela.