Kolkata: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday described the Kumbh Mela as ‘Mukti Mela’ (freedom fair) which created a “rainbow bridge” connecting man with God.

His statement came days after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the Maha Kumbh has turned into a “Mrityu Kumbh” due to incidents of stampede, claiming that the actual toll at the mega religious gathering was suppressed by authorities.

“I don’t want to enter into any controversy. It’s a democratic setup and the CM is entitled to give his or her own analysis of any situation based on a political position they hold. I welcome that as a beauty of democracy,” Bose told journalists at the Raj Bhavan here.

“As far as I am concerned, I do not want to give any comment as a Governor. I went there as a humble participant in the process,” he added.

The Bengal Governor had visited the Kumbh Mela and took a dip in the holy water earlier this week.

Bose described Kumbh Mela as ‘Mukti Mela’ and ‘Mrityunjay Mela’.

Talking further about the congregation in Prayagraj, Bose said, “You know, I see Kumbh Mela as the acne of the culmination of the great tradition that India has.” “Kumbh is communion with God. The ordinary persons who came there voluntarily. Lakhs and lakhs of them came on their own because they wanted to be there. I think it’s a rainbow bridge that connects earth with sky, the man with God, the inner world to the outer world,” he said.

Bose also stated, “I find it as the excellence of India’s tradition and culture and as far as political statements are made I have no comments to make.”