Lucknow, February 17 Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday criticised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for allegedly damaging the idol of Ahilyabai Holkar, a visionary queen of the erstwhile Maratha kingdom, and other heritage structures during a redevelopment drive at Varanasi's Manikarnika Ghat.
"The chief minister got the idol of Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar’s idol broken," Yadav told reporters after a programme here, adding that members of the Sanatan and the Pal communities were "very angry" with the chief minister over the issue.
The SP chief further claimed that around "a hundred temples" had been demolished in Varanasi and that a bell donated by the King of Nepal had gone missing.
The SP chief's remarks come after a controversy surrounding a redevelopment drive at the historic Manikarnika Ghat last month, which triggered protests by locals and members of Pal Samaj Samiti, who claimed that heritage sites were being damaged in the name of redevelopment, a charge rejected by the district administration.
Manikarnika Ghat is among the oldest and most sacred cremation grounds in Hinduism. It is widely believed that those cremated there achieve 'moksha' or liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
The district administration has denied the allegations of destruction, maintaining that no temple was demolished or damaged. District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar had earlier said that some idols and artefacts found during excavation have been preserved and would be reinstalled once the construction work is completed.
The redevelopment project at Manikarnika Ghat includes modernising the site with new amenities, including a wood plaza, VIP seating and flood-resistant cremation facilities. While officials insist the project aims to improve the sacred area, the use of heavy machinery and bulldozers last month sparked protests and led to claims that ancient structures and small temples were damaged.
Responding to the chief minister's remarks about an alleged lathi-charge on a seer during the previous Samajwadi Party government, Yadav said the incident occurred due to "adverse circumstances and the actions of the BJP’s actions" at that time. He added that Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati was not a Shankaracharya then, adding that the party had later apologised to the seer.
Yadav also accused the current government of not allowing the Shankaracharya from taking a holy dip in the Ganga during Magh Mela in Prayagraj. He claimed the seer's chariot was pushed and the chief minister had "insulted" him at the Triveni Sangam.
The SP chief said followers of Sanatan traditions and the PDA (Backward Classes, Dalits and Minorities) would use their vote to "teach the BJP a lesson".
Replying to another query, Yadav alleged that cases against the chief minister predated the Samajwadi Party government. He claimed that his party had once "saved" Adityanath, describing the move as a mistake.
He further accused the chief minister of promoting conflict and hatred, stating that the Shankaracharya had criticised the chief minister’s language in a democratic forum.
Yadav, in a statement, alleged that Uttar Pradesh had become a "hub of crime and wrongdoing" under BJP rule. He claimed that the state had moved "from honouring saints to insulting them."