As the video went viral, Nishad reportedly clarified that his remarks were made in a lighter vein. “I was on a visit to a flood-hit area of Nishads where, while interacting with them, I said that for seeking salvation, people from faraway places come to take the holy dip in the Ganges — and here, Ganga Maiya was right at their doorstep,” the minister told media persons.”We Nishads worship rivers — our source of life and livelihoods. So the remark has its own context,” the minister added.Apart from Congress, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sharvendra Bikram Singh also slammed Nishad for his remarks. “He is not aware of the ground reality and the situation in which flood-affected people are living. The state government has failed to provide relief to the people, and its ministers are looking for photo opportunities,” he said.Singh added that at a time when people were losing their homes and livelihoods due to floods, such statements showed how disconnected UP ministers were from ground reality.Several parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, and Varanasi, have been in the grip of massive waterlogging and floods triggered by heavy rain, and water has also been entering homes in low-lying areas.
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