Varanasi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday blasted Congress for “spreading false propaganda” over temple demolitions in Varanasi. He said that such false claims must be exposed before the public.
Addressing the media after offering prayers at Baba Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the Chief Minister said that similar conspiracies were hatched even during the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
He alleged that remnants of broken idols from idol-making workshops were deliberately circulated on social media to falsely claim that temples were being demolished.
“In the last one or two days, videos claiming the demolition of temples in Kashi and Manikarnika Ghat have gone viral. I came here today to present the true facts before the public and counter the conspiracies and propaganda aimed at disrupting the comprehensive development works carried out here over the past 11 years,” CM Yogi said.
Rejecting the authenticity of the videos, he alleged that AI-generated content was being used to mislead people and disrupt the ongoing development work in Dalmandi, Varanasi. “Everyone knows that the temples at Manikarnika Ghat remain exactly where they were,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that every follower of Sanatan Dharma and every Indian holds Kashi in deep reverence, yet the city did not receive the respect or development it deserved for decades after Independence.
“Over the past 11 years, Kashi has progressed by preserving its spiritual and cultural heritage while also achieving remarkable material development,” he added.
Citing the impact of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, he said that earlier 5,000 to 25,000 devotees visited the shrine daily, whereas post-construction, the number has increased to 1.25 to 1.5 lakh devotees per day. “Last year alone, more than 11 crore devotees visited Baba Vishwanath Dham. Since the corridor’s construction, Kashi has contributed Rs 1.3 lakh crore to the country’s GDP,” he said.
Targeting the Congress directly, CM Yogi said the party had spread blatant lies during the corridor’s construction by alleging temple demolitions. “These temples were never destroyed. They were in a dilapidated condition earlier and have now been restored and preserved,” he clarified.
He also recalled the return of the Goddess Annapurna idol, which had been stolen a century ago and taken to Europe. “It was due to the Prime Minister’s efforts that the idol was brought back and reinstalled at Kashi Vishwanath,” he said.
Accusing Congress of disrespecting India’s heritage, CM Yogi said, “A party that has consistently insulted India’s faith through appeasement politics can never respect its cultural heritage.”
Referring to major religious projects, he said the construction of the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya after 500 years is a matter of national pride. “Whether it is Kashi, Ayodhya, Maa Vindhyavasini Dham, Prayagraj, or Buddhist pilgrimage sites, heritage preservation and beautification are progressing successfully under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.”
(IANS)
