LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday accused the Congress party of trying to defame Kashi by allegedly circulating an AI-generated video showing the demolition of a statue of Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar during the renovation of Manikarnika Ghat, and said the statue had been safely preserved.
In a bid to address the ongoing controversy over the renovation of Manikarnika Ghat and the demolition of structures comprising the idol of Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar, Adityanath launched a scathing attack on the Congress, holding it responsible for the row and accusing it of trying to defame Kashi.
The Chief Minister arrived in Varanasi amid rising political and public debate over the restoration project of Manikarnika Ghat, which intensified following allegations of the demolition of a statue of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
Claiming that the statue of the Maratha queen was safely preserved, Adityanath accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to defame Kashi by allegedly fabricating an AI-generated video of the demolition and making it viral on social media to misguide people.
“It is a plot to defame Kashi, so I have to come here personally to address the issue and unravel the evil designs of the forces working behind the controversy,” asserted the Chief Minister while interacting with media persons.
Notably, the demolition and redevelopment work at Manikarnika Ghat, one of the most ancient and sacred cremation grounds in Kashi, has triggered a major political controversy, with the Opposition, including the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, strongly criticising the BJP-led government and alleging that centuries-old religious and cultural heritage was being destroyed in the name of development.
However, while trying to clear the air, the Chief Minister said, “There cannot be a bigger lie than the claim that the temples are being demolished. These temples have been lying in a dilapidated condition all this long. Now they are being restored."
"This is the only truth. The statue of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar has been preserved safely. When the restoration work will be over, then the statue will be reinstalled. Congress is trying to mislead people through AI-generated video footage and it is a criminal offence. I am warning those who are involved in generating AI video footage. We will not accept it at any cost.”
The Chief Minister added, “During the worship at Kashi Vishwanath, the cremation grounds are also discussed, whether it is Manikarnika Ghat or Harishchandra Ghat. Even today, if you go to Manikarnika Ghat, you will see the conditions in which last rites are performed. How can it be acceptable that someone is unable to give their loved one a dignified farewell?”
“For this, a programme is being launched. It is not being funded by government money, but through CSR funds of a company, made possible by the efforts of the Prime Minister. Even then, the same people have started their complaints again. What is happening at present is not hidden from anyone,” said the UP Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister said that when Aurangzeb demolished the Baba Vishwanath temple, the first effort to rebuild the temple was made by Ahilyabai Holkar.
“Congress did not honour her, but Prime Minister Modi did. However, for the last three to four days, some people have been misleading the public by circulating false pictures. These are the same people who did not take these heritage sites forward while being in power and even now they are against it,” he added.
Adityanath also recalled how the idol of Maa Annapurna was smuggled to Europe from Kashi and later brought back through the efforts of the Prime Minister.
“Earlier, no one made such efforts because they had an aversion to heritage. The Congress, which has always disrespected the faith, can never honour and respect Kashi as the statements of its leaders over Lord Ram and Lord Krishna from time to time are not hidden from anyone,” he said.
Earlier, while Opposition parties were decrying the work as nothing less than the destruction of Hindu heritage in the name of so-called development and had accused the government of prioritising development over the preservation of cultural and religious heritage, the district administration insisted that the revamp would ease congestion, improve hygiene and organise the storage of firewood and ritual paraphernalia along the ghats’ hallowed steps.
The Varanasi district administration also sought to stem the tide of controversy by assuring devotees that every artwork and idol was carefully preserved by the Uttar Pradesh culture department. These sacred pieces, officials said, would be reinstated in their original form once the reconstruction was complete.