Varanasi: Amid the opposition bid to fuel controversy over the alleged desecration of Queen Ahilyabai Holker’s statue at the Manikarnika Ghat rejuvenation project site, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday lashed out at Congress, accusing the party of plotting to tarnish Kashi’s image with fake images, just like it did during the Kashi Vishwanath Dham rejuvenation project.Yogi said the bid to hurt Sanatan sentiment is aimed at disturbing the Dalmandi road widening project launched to improve connectivity to Kashi Vishwanath Dham.After taking first-hand stock of the situation over the opposition’s bid to charge the BJP govt with desecrating idols of Gods and Goddesses and the statue of the 18th-century Indore queen Ahilyabai Holker, CM Yogi addressed a press conference at the circuit house and said this was a conspiracy by Congress to defame Kashi by using fake photographs, despite the redevelopment of Manikarnika Ghat being ensured without disturbing its mythological significance and rituals.“When the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project was in progress between 2019 and 2021, Congress and some people hatched conspiracies to inflame the sentiments of people by circulating images showing broken remnants of idols disposed of from the workshops of idol makers on social media to spread lies that idols of deities and temples were being demolished,” said Yogi, adding, “Again, for the past two days, several videos were made viral on social media with claims that idols are demolished in Kashi’s Manikarnika Ghat.”The idol of Ahilyabai Holker, which is claimed to be broken, is kept in safe custody and it will be re-established with the completion of the project, he said, adding it was part of the wall of one of the platforms of the ghat. “Everybody knows how Prime Minister Narendra Modi respects Queen Ahilyabai, as he ensured the installation of her idol in Kashi Vishwanath Dham. PM always ensured the overall development of Kashi by introducing modern facilities and infrastructure without disturbing the soul, heritage and culture of Kashi,” he said.People witnessed how the lies of Congress were exposed when all temples, which were claimed to be demolished during the progress of works in Kashi Vishwanath Dham, existed at these places in rejuvenated form, said Yogi, adding that despite every follower of Sanatan Dharm and Indian holding deep reverence for Kashi, it was not given the respect and development it deserved after independence. He added that such attention could not be expected from a party whose leader and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru obstructed Sardar Patel’s bid to rejuvenate the Somnath temple and also tried to stop the first President of India from visiting there.Over the past 11 years, Kashi witnessed the preservation and promotion of its spiritual and cultural heritage under PM Modi’s visionary leadership, said Yogi, adding that Rs 55,000 crore projects were sanctioned for Varanasi’s overall development and, of it, works of over Rs 36,000 crore were completed and the remaining are in progress.Kashi Vishwanath Dham jumped the average per day footfall of pilgrims and tourists from 5,000-15,000 to 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh per day, while on special occasions and days such footfall ranged between 6 lakh and 10 lakh, he said, adding that only in 2025, 11 lakh pilgrims reached the Kashi Vishwanath temple. These changes not only generated income and opportunity in each service sector but, since 2022, Kashi contributed over Rs 1.30 lakh crore to the country’s GDP.Yogi said that apart from improving the water quality of the Ganga, brightening the face of ghats that are the city’s identity, improving waterway, airway, rail and road connectivity, bringing ropeway, and ensuring progress in education, health, sports and all other sectors, PM Modi kept the focus on the heritage and culture of Kashi. After completion of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the returned idol of the Goddess Annapurna temple, which was stolen 100 years ago, was brought back from Europe and installed inside the Dham.“There is no need to learn from Congress about how heritage should be respected. Whether it is the construction of the Ram Temple at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya or development works in Kashi, Ayodhya, Vindhyavasini Dham, Prayagraj, Buddhist pilgrimage sites, or other heritage locations across India, all conservation and beautification works are being carried out smoothly under the leadership of PM Modi,” said Yogi.“Congress leaders’ baseless remarks, childish statements and actions evoke both laughter and pity. The famous saying ‘Nau sau chuhe khake billi haj ko chali’ (after eating 100 mice the cat went on the hajj pilgrimage) fits it,” said Yogi, adding that those who always disrespected heritage and created obstacles in development works are making a hue and cry over the Manikarnika Ghat project as they wanted to hamper the Dalmandi road widening project, which is being introduced to improve access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
