Work still incomplete on Kashi Vishwanath Corridor; inauguration just to polarise upcoming UP polls: Ajay Rai

A lot of renovation work is still pending but Prime Minister Modi and the Yogi government decided to inaugurate the unfinished Kashi Vishwanath Corridor because they want to polarize the upcoming assembly polls, said Congress leader Ajay Rai.

Talking to National Herald, Rai who had contested Lok Sabha polls against Modi in 2014 and 2019 said, “Not only the construction in many parts of the corridor is still pending but a lot of repairing work, garbage disposal and beautification of Ghats are also yet to be done”.

Saying that the inauguration of unfinished Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is an example of Hindutvavad – that Rahul Gandhi spoke about in Jaipur rally on Sunday, Rai added, “BJP/RSS and Modi have altered Hindu tradition to further their politics.”

Criticising the BJP/RSS plan to celebrate Shiv Deepawali at massive scale this evening in Varanasi, Rai said, “Only two Diwalis are mentioned in Hindu scriptures 1) Diwali (festival) which is celebrated by all Hindus and 2) Dev Diwali which is celebrated in Varanasi by the devotees of Lord Shiva on Kartik Poornima”

According to the Hindu mythology, the gods descend on Earth to bathe in the Ganges on Dev Diwali.

All ghats, from Ravidas Ghat at the southern end to Rajghat at the northern end, are lit with more than a million earthen lamps (diyas) in honor of Ganga, the Ganges, and its presiding goddess.

“Do they not consider Lord Shiva as Hindu God?” asked Rai explaining the politics of Hindutvavad, “The BP/RSS mentality is to segregate, divide…They have divided the Hindu gods also. As they create division in the society to further their political agenda, they have made a distinction among gods to capture the power in UP again.”

“BJP is on the shaky ground. They have realised that they may lose this election. So, they are using all kinds of tactics, government machinery to polarize the polls on religious lines,” lamented Rai.

On detention and house arrest of the social-political activists ahead of Modi’s visit to Varanasi, Rai said that it has become a pattern now. “Each time, ahead of Modi’s visit, Congress workers are put under detention and house arrest,” said Rai.

Last time when prime minister Narendra Modi visited Varanasi in October, thousands of Congress workers, social activists, and farmers’ leaders were taken into preventive custody, Rai said. “Till now I am free person…Only Baba Vishwanath knows what lies ahead,” he quipped.

The Rs 339-crore Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, has been completed in less than three years. The foundation for the project was laid by Modi on March 8, 2019. As per a release issued by the government, the project was conceptualised to create an easily accessible pathway for the pilgrims.

According to the release, 23 buildings – tourist facilitation centre, Vedic Kendra, Mumukshu Bhavan, Bhogshala, city museum and viewing gallery including others have been constructed under the project.

A resident of Varanasi who has been rehabilitated to another part of the city recalled more than 300 properties around the Vishwanath temple were acquired and more than 1,400 shopkeepers, tenants and homeowners were displaced.