'Confusion Being Spread By Showing Broken Idols': Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Defends Varanasi Project

Varanasi: The renovation work at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi was hit by controversy on Saturday. Anger has erupted among the people after the historic platform and the statue of Ahilyabai Holkar were allegedly demolished by a bulldozer during the renovation work.

What was the issue?

A political storm has been raging for the past 6-7 days over the redevelopment work underway at Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi. Pictures of ancient structures being demolished by JCBs have heated up the atmosphere across Uttar Pradesh and the entire country.

What did Yogi Adityanath say?

Speaking at the press conference, the Chief Minister said that some people are trying to defame Kashi. 

“I remember, when the work on Kashi Vishwanath started, a conspiracy was hatched against it. Even today, the same people are defaming Kashi and spreading confusion by posting pictures of broken idols on social media and spreading the lie that idols are being broken. There can be no bigger lie than this. Today, Kashi has received a new global identity. The Prime Minister has always spoken about the need to preserve Kashi's ancient heritage while also presenting it in a new form to the country and the world,” he said.

"Kashi is eternal. Every Indian has immense reverence for Kashi, but Kashi did not receive the respect it deserved in independent India. The comprehensive development program that should have been implemented immediately after independence did not receive the importance it deserved. In the last 11-11.5 years, Kashi has once again been preserving and promoting its spiritual and cultural heritage, and is also reaching new heights through physical development projects,” he added. 

“It is our good fortune that Prime Minister Modi represents Kashi in the country's Parliament. From the very beginning, he has said that while preserving Kashi's ancient form, it should be presented to the country and the world in a new form, and accordingly, projects for Kashi were launched in the last 11-11.5 years.”

Yogi Adityanath also highlighted the development work in Varanasi, which, he claimed as changed the pilgrimage experience.

“Projects worth more than ₹55,000 crore have been sanctioned for Kashi, of which projects worth ₹36,000 crore have been inaugurated, and the remaining projects are progressing rapidly. Before 2014 or before the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the number of devotees visiting daily ranged from 5,000 to only 25,000. Today, in the same Kashi, 1.25 lakh to 1.50 lakh devotees visit daily... Kashi alone has contributed ₹1.3 lakh crore to the country's GDP," he said.

"Today, 50,000 devotees can visit the Kashi Vishwanath Dham at the same time. All these changes have been seen in Kashi; new hospitals have opened in Kashi. Today, there are new employment opportunities for the youth in Kashi," the CM added.

What did the Varanasi municipality say?

In view of the anger among the people regarding the demolition work at Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasi Additional Municipal Commissioner Sangam Lal clarified the matter. He said that no idol has been damaged.

According to the Additional Municipal Commissioner, these were structures carved into the wall, which have been safely removed and placed at Namo Ghat. He said that the work at Manikarnika Ghat is being done in four phases and this project is based on the G+1 model. The administration has assured that an appropriate decision will be taken regarding the reinstallation of these idols in the future.

What is the opposition’s stand on the issue? 

Meanwhile, the opposition (SP, Congress) is alleging that centuries-old idols, especially the statue of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, have been broken in the name of development. Following continuous attacks from the opposition, the Mayor of Varanasi and the local BJP MLA visited Manikarnika Ghat and clarified that no temple has been broken and the idols have been preserved. They said that the statue will be reinstalled as soon as the construction work is completed. In addition, the Kashi Vidwat Parishad has also appealed to the people not to spread misinformation.