Akhilesh Yadav with Shivpal Singh Yadav. (Photo: Twitter/@yadavakhilesh)UP Assembly Election 2022 LIVE Updates: Ahead of the Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh next year, the Samajwadi Party Thursday announced an alliance with the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) in a meeting between Akhilesh Yadav and his estranged uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav at the latter’s residence in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, Congress MLAs gathered outside the UP Legislative Assembly in Lucknow demanding the resignation of MoS (Home) Ajay Kumar Mishra, whose son Ashish Mishra is an accused in Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Protests demanding Mishra’s resignation were also registered during the Parliament proceedings on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday spoke about the SIT report which called the Lakhimpur Kheri incident a ‘planned conspiracy’. “As elections approach, the BJP wears religious spectacles and sees everything on the basis of religion…BJP should suspend their MoS Home (Ajay Mishra),” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Wednesday stated, “For years, everyone wanted that a grand Ram temple be built for each and every Indian. Now, that wish is being fulfilled. The party president along with 11 chief ministers and two deputy chief ministers of BJP-ruled states offered prayers at the makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi. Earlier in the day, the delegation offered prayers at the Saryu ghat and Hanuman Garhi temple.
In a meeting of the CMs and deputy CMs of 12 BJP-ruled states on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to UP called upon the chief ministers to carve a niche for themselves in some or the other sector of governance. He urged the chief ministers to accord topmost priority to “ease of living”.
Kashi Vishwanath Dham illuminated with lights ahead of its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Varanasi, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. (PTI Photo)
Opposition Congress MLAs on Thursday staged a walkout from the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly after they were denied discussion on their demand for dismissal of Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra ‘Teni' in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
The Congress, which had earlier in the day staged a protest over the issue outside the Vidhan Bhawan, raised the demand during the Zero Hour with its leader Aradhana Mishra moving an adjournment notice for immediate discussion by raising the October 3 violence in Lakhimpur Kheri citing the law and order situation in the state. She alleged that four farmers, who were protesting at Tikunia in Lakhimpur, and a journalist were crushed to death by the union minister's son.
Aradhana Mishra said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was going to meet the families of the victims after the violence, was stopped and kept in jail for 48 hours. Claiming that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has clarified in its report that the incident was a deliberate attempt, the Congress MLA alleged that the government was trying to save Ashish Mishra, the son of Ajay Mishra. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet around 40 BJP MPs from poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on Friday over breakfast at his official residence here, sources said on Thursday. This will be the prime minister's fourth such meeting with party MPs from different states during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, they said.
So far, Modi has met MPs from all north-eastern states, southern states and Madhya Pradesh, the sources said.
On Friday, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet around 40 MPs from Uttar Pradesh and he will meet the remaining MPs from the state in another meeting, they said. These meetings have been informal and not agenda specific, MPs have said. During all the meetings, the prime minister suggested to party MPs to engage more with people, beyond political activities, and shun VIP culture, they said.
In the past as well, Prime Minister Modi had held meetings with BJP MPs in different batches when Parliament was in session. (PTI)
Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav Thursday called on his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav and announced an alliance with his party, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia). The formal, one-to-one meeting of the leaders comes almost five years after a tussle for power within the SP started between the two.
Sources said that the meeting was held at Shivpal’s residence, which is barely 400 metres from Akhilesh’s house on Vikramaditya Marg in Lucknow. In the over-an-hour long stay at his uncle’s residence, Akhilesh had a 20-minute closed-door meeting with him, it is learnt.
After the meeting, Akhilesh tweeted a photograph with Shivpal along with a text in Hindi, saying, “There was a meeting with PSP national president and an alliance was decided. The policy of taking regional parties along is constantly strengthening SP and taking the SP and other allies to a historic victory.” Read More
The Samajwadi Party has struck an alliance with the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) in a meeting between Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav at the latter's residence in Lucknow.
The second day of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly got off to a stormy start on Thursday with opposition parties storming into the well of the House raising slogans and demanding the dismissal of Union minister Ajay Mishra over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Amid the din, the state government tabled the second supplementary budget of Rs 8479.53 crore for the current financial year.
As soon as the House assembled in the morning, Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra came into the well of the House with her party members, demanding the sacking of Ajay Mishra and started raising slogans. The Samajwadi Party and SBSP members also came to the well and started raising slogans. (PTI)
The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday told the legislative council that no death due to lack of oxygen was reported in the state during the second wave of COVID-19, a claim rejected by the opposition.
The government said the death certificates made no mention of 'death due to lack of oxygen' in any of the 22,915 patients that died due to the pandemic.
Replying to Congress member Deepak Singh during the Question Hour, Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh said, "No death has been reported in the state due to lack of oxygen during the second wave." The minister said several deaths during the pandemic were due to various other diseases, including terminal ones, and that the government had arranged oxygen from other states when there was a shortage. (PTI)
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a hike in the honorarium given to panchayat representatives – from gram pradhans to zila panchayat chairpersons.
Addressing the “Gram Panchayat Sammelan” in Lucknow, the chief minister sought the support of gram panchayats to boost further growth of the state.
Referring to the BJP governments both in UP and at the Centre as “double-engine government”, the chief minister said, “While the development of UP has received a boost by the “double-engine government”, it would get a further boost if the village-level government also joins hand to ensure that first place for Uttar Pradesh in the country.”
Read more
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the 594-kilometre-longlong Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur on 18 December.
A PMO statement said the Expressway will be built at a cost of over Rs 36,200 cr. It will consist of a 3.5km long airstrip for assisting emergency take-off and landing of Indian Air Force aircraft.
The Uttar Pradesh government has hiked dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees from 28 per cent to 31 per cent.
"Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been decided to increase dearness allowance of all state employees from 28 per cent to 31 per cent," tweeted Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
The decision would be implemented retrospectively from July 2021.
Congress MLAs gathered outside the UP Legislative Assembly in Lucknow demanding the resignation of MoS (Home) Ajay Kumar Mishra, whose son Ashish Mishra is among the 13 accused in Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
Protests demanding Mishra's resignation were also registered during the Parliament proceedings on Wednesday.
"As elections approach, BJP wears religious spectacles and sees everything on the basis of religion...BJP should suspend their MoS Home (Ajay Mishra),” says SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on SIT calling the Lakhimpur Kheri incident a “planned conspiracy” to kill protesting farmers.
He adds, “After investigation, it is now clear that MoS Home's (Ajay Mishra) son was involved in this incident. The Union minister should resign and strict action should be taken against the accused.” (ANI)
BJP national president JP Nadda, along with Chief Ministers of 12 BJP-ruled states, offered prayers and also visited the Ram Temple construction site earlier today.
Farmers’ leader Rakesh Tikait was welcomed by farmers in Meerut upon his return from Delhi earlier today after the repeal of the three farm laws He said, "I'm not going to contest any election and no political party should use my name or photo in their posters."
"As per PM Modi's vision, now we have to develop smart villages. If villages in UP become smart, then UP will be at the top position in terms of development in the country," CM Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow. (ANI)
A purported video of Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Kumar Mishra has emerged on social media in which he allegedly abuses a journalist after being asked about his son Ashish, who is an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case.
In the video, which has been shared by news agency ANI, Mishra is seen getting worked up when the journalist asks him a question about his jailed son. The minister then loses his cool and gets involved in an angry exchange where he is heard saying, “Don’t you feel ashamed?” Read more
The opposition Samajwadi Party and Congress staged protests outside the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday, demanding the removal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra over the Lakhimpur Kheri inicident, as the House began its last session before the state polls.
Legislators of the main opposition Samajwadi Party also raised the issues of price rise and problems of farmers while carrying placards, cutouts of LPG cylinders and sugarcane stalks.
"We demand removal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra. Apart from this, we want to draw the attention of the union and the state governments toward spiralling inflation, a host of problems faced by the farmers including those who grow sugarcane," SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said.
"The law and order situation is very bad in the state," he alleged. Expelled BSP MLA Aslam Raini also joined the SP protest. (PTI)
BJP national president JP Nadda and CMs and Deputy CMs of BJP-ruled states perform aarti and offer prayers at Saryu Ghat in Ayodhya.
BJP president JP Nadda along with 11 chief ministers and two deputy chief ministers of BJP-ruled states offered prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple.
BJP president JP Nadda along with 11 chief ministers and two deputy chief ministers of BJP-ruled states offered prayers at the makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi. Earlier in the day, the delegation offered prayers at the Saryu ghat and Hanuman Garhi temple
After visiting the Hanuman Garhi temple, the BJP President JP Nadda-led delegation of BJP CMs and deputy CMs is now headed to the makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya.
BJP President JP Nadda, 11 chief ministers and two deputy chief ministers of BJP-ruled states offered prayers at the Sarya Ghat in Ayodhya. Following which, they visited the Hanuman Garhi temple.
When asked about the government's message through the Kashi Vishwanath corridor inauguration, JP Nadda said, "The BJP workers are inspired by rashtravaad (nationalism) and bow to India's sanskriti (culture). Kashi Vishwanath's inauguration and visiting the Ram Temple is a matter of faith for us and for crores of Indians."
"For years, everyone wanted that a grand Ram temple be built for each and every Indian. Now, that wish is being fulfilled and we are fortunate enough to visit at such an auspicious time. We want to visit Ram lalla and review the ongoing work for the Ram Temple," BJP chief JP Nadda said at a hotel in Ayodhya, where the delegation of BJP leaders stopped briefly.
BJP chief JP Nadda, who will be visiting the makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya with CMs and deputy CMs of 12 BJP-ruled states, on Wednesdy said, "It was heart's desire that a grand Ram Temple be built. It's a matter of joy that the dream of crores of Indians is being realised."
"After the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, a meeting of CMs was held. All of us wanted to have a darshan of Ram Lalla," Nadda was quoted as saying by ANI.
BJP chief JP Nadda has arrived Ayodhya. The party leader along with 11 chief ministers and two deputy chief ministers of BJP-ruled states on Wednesday will offer prayers at the makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi and the Saryu river.
Chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Goa have reached Ayodhya. The will be visiting the Ram Janmabhoomi site along with other BJP CMs and party chief JP Nadda.
As per BJP (Ayodhya) Media incharge Rajneesh Singh, the BJP leaders will first visit Hanuman Garhi temple, and from there, they will head to Ram ki paudi. "At both places, the leaders will offer their prayers. The leaders will also go to the Saryu river and pray there. Their final programme will be at Ram Janmabhoomi premises where they will do darshan and pooja," he said.
Those who will be present in Ayodhya on Wednesday are: BJP national president JP Nadda; Arunachal Pradesh CM Prema Khandu, deputy CM Chowna Mein; Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb; Manipur CM N Biren Singh; Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma; Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur; Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan; Goa CM Pramod Sawant; Karnataka CM Basavaraj S Bommai; Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami; Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar; Gujarat CM Bhupendrabhai Patel; Bihar Deputy CM Renu Devi.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday held a public rally in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur.
Speaking about the SIT report on the Lakhimpur violence which called the incident a ‘planned conspiracy’, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “As elections approach, the BJP wears religious spectacles and sees everything on the basis of religion…BJP should suspend their MoS Home (Ajay Mishra),” according to ANI.
Tripura CM Biplab Deb, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Manipur CM N Biren Singh and Bihar Deputy CM Renu Devi have arrived in Ayodhya, where they will be visiting the Ram Janmbhoomi site.
In a veiled reference to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated, "They try to compare a great person like Sardar Patel with a rashtra khalnayak like Jinnah, we need to be alert."
Speaking at an event on the death anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the CM added, "Comparing the hero of the nation with a villain is an insult to the national heroes. This insult can never be tolerated by the people of India."
Earlier this year, Yadav had talked about Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah as leaders who fought for India’s independence.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday stated that "a proud, prosperous nation is being built under PM Modi's leadership and it can be felt after coming to Kashi."
Chouhan is amongst the group of BJP CMs who will visit the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya along with party chief JP Nadda later in the day. "PM Modi gave a new direction to development. We'll proceed to Ayodhya with a new vigour," he was quoted as saying by ANI. "We will have a darshan of Ram Lalla. We are filled with great joy over the course of these three days," he added.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states will visit Ayodhya on Wednesday and offer prayers at the makeshift temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi. CMs from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Gujarat, Haryana and Goa, and two deputy chief ministers from Bihar and one from Arunachal Pradesh will be visiting the holy city, PTI reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday chaired a meeting of chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of BJP-rued states. At the meeting, the leaders shared different good governance practices from their respective states.
Taking a swipe at Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said the Uttar Pradesh chief minister cleverly avoided taking a dip in the Ganga, unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi, knowing well that the waters of none of the rivers were clean.
He also refused to tender an apology for his taunt that people prefer to stay in Benaras "when the end nears", saying let the BJP first admit standing in the temple that the Kashi Viswanath corridor project was started during the SP rule.
"See how clever ('hoshiyaar') the chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) is that he did not take a dip in Ganga. Why he did not take a dip? I had gone to Meerut, and saw that the water of river Hindon has turned black.
"River Kali is already black. The banks of river Yamuna are black. If Chambal river does not meet Yamuna, then Yamuna would be dead. Who had said that Maa Ganga will be cleaned? Has river Gomti been cleaned? The budget has flowed, but the rivers have not been cleaned...Our CM knows that none of the rivers are clean, and hence he did not take a dip in Maa Ganga.," he told reporters in Jaunpur. (PTI)
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said the “double-engine” government of the BJP has failed with its engines colliding against each other, accusing it of disappointing farmers and the jobless youth in Uttar Pradesh.
He said the BJP government at the Centre withdrew the three contentious farm laws only because of the upcoming assembly elections.
“The anger of the public was visible. The farmers would have stood against them in the elections, and for this reason, the farm laws were withdrawn," he told reporters in Jaunpur, where he resumed his “rath yatra” poll campaign.
Mocking the BJP's constant claim that the state benefited because the same party led the governments in UP and at the Centre, he said, “This double-engine government has completely failed. These double engines are colliding with each other.” He said the farmers will not forget the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, in which four farmers were crushed to death by an SUV." (PTI)
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Amethi on December 18 along with party general secretary and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Rahul Gandhi will arrive at the Lucknow airport on December 18 morning and will reach Amethi by road, Congress Amethi district spokesperson Arvind Chaturvedi said.
Further details of his visit will be known later, Chaturvedi said.
Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Amethi for the second time after losing the 2019 Lok Sabha election by 55,120 votes to BJP's Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi had represented Amethi for 15 years. He had sent relief material for the locals here during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the party. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said zero budget national farming should become a mass movement and people should be made aware of its benefits.
Addressing an event marking the 98th anniversary celebrations of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan at Swarved Mahamandir here, he said as the country completes 75 years of independence, 'su raj (good governance)' is as important as 'swaraj (self-rule)'.
Stressing on the importance of zero budget natural farming, Modi said it should be made a mass movement. Zero budget natural farming reduces the cost of agriculture by relying on traditional field-based technologies which lead to improved soil health. Modi also highlighted the development in Varanasi. (PTI)
PM Modi, while addressing the Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan event, highlighted the development works in Varanasi saying that the number of tourists to Varanasi in 2019-20 doubled compared to 2014-15.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ongoing visit to Varanasi has coincided with the 100th anniversary of the then Prince of Wales' royal visit to the temple town in December 1921, when he too was given a rousing reception and had formally opened new buildings of the Banaras Hindu University.
On December 13, Modi arrived here in the morning and later inaugurated the first phase of the ambitious Kashi Vishwanath Dham project after taking a holy dip in Ganga and offering prayers at the ancient Kashi Vishwanath temple.
In a coincidence of sorts, exactly a hundred years ago, the then Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VIII, had arrived in Benares on December 13, 1921 as part of his royal tour of India. The prince had arrived in Bombay (now Mumbai) on November 17 and later visited Bikaner, Bharatpur, Lucknow and Allahabad, before arriving in Benares (now Varanasi) on a single-day visit, according to archival records. The British royal was accorded a rousing reception and a grand welcome by the Maharaja of Benares at his iconic Ramnagar Palace across the river after the prince arrived early morning in the city, famed for its ancient temples, especially the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which has now assumed a new avatar under the ambitious Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project of the government. (PTI)
Addressing the 98th anniversary celebrations of Sadguru Sadafaldeo Vihangam Yog Sansthan, in Umraha, PM Modi said Kashi's energy is intact and also keeps expanding.
Eleven chief ministers of BJP-ruled states will offer prayers at the makeshift temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya on Wednesday. Protocol officials of the 11 chief ministers and three deputy chief ministers reached Ayodhya on Tuesday.
The chief ministers were expected to arrive in Lucknow from Varanasi on Tuesday evening and after a night stay in the state capital, reach Ayodhya by 11 am on Wednesday, a senior district official said. They will visit the Hanumangarhi temple around 2 pm and then offer prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi, where a temple in being constructed.
Chief Ministers from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Gujarat, Haryana and Goa, and two deputy chief ministers from Bihar and one from Arunachal Pradesh will be visiting the holy city, the official said. Official sources indicated that chief ministers of Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Karnataka and Puducherry may also visit Ayodhya. (PTI)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati hit out at the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday, saying mere announcements, laying foundation stones and inaugurating half-baked projects will not strengthen the base of the ruling BJP.
She also congratulated the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on completing 100 years and hoped that in the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls, the SAD-BSP alliance will secure a comfortable majority and form the government.
"Before the announcement of the polls, the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government are making announcements one after the other, laying foundation stones and inaugurating half-baked projects. This will not strengthen the base of the BJP and the people of the state have understood this very clearly. Even then, I would like to appeal to people to remain cautious of such tricks," Mayawati told reporters
A day after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday allegedly took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Varanasi, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that such language was not expected from a former chief minister.
“To use such words for those elder to you is unfortunate and shows how they (SP) have opposed Kashi and Ram Mandir,” he said. “You should think twice before making such comments for certain people. Such statements are not expected from a former chief minister,” Thakur added.
PM Narendra Modi chairs a meeting of the Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states in Varanasi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a surprise inspection of infrastructure development works in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency, late on Monday night.
After inaugurating the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor, witnessing the Ganga Aarti and meeting Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, the Prime Minister reached Godaulia crossing at around midnight. With Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in tow, PM Modi again visited the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor and took a tour of the temple complex.
Inaugurating the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the civilisational heritage of Varanasi, saying sultanates rose and fell over the years but the holy city of Kashi has withstood the test of time.
“Invaders attacked this city, tried to destroy it. History is witness to Aurangzeb’s atrocities, his terror. He tried to change civilisation by the sword. He tried to crush culture with fanaticism. But the soil of this country is different from the rest of the world. Here if an (Mughal Emperor) Aurangzeb comes, a (Maratha warrior) Shivaji also rises. If a Salar Masud marches ahead, warriors like Raja Suhaldev make him realise the power of our unity,” Modi said. Read the full report here.
In a loaded remark on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav taunted him, saying people stay in Kashi when the end is near.
"It is good," he said when asked by reporters that the PM is in Varanasi and the government has planned month-long cultural events to mark the event.
"Why only a month? He should stay for two months, three months. That is a good place to stay. When the end is near, people stay in Banaras," he said.
The elections to the UP Assembly are due within three months and the SP claims that it will oust the BJP from power. In Hindu religion, spending last days of life in Kashi is considered auspicious. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnesses 'Ganga Aarti' in Varanasi. Shiv Deepotsav is being celebrated today in the city.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on the Vivekananda Cruise at Sant Ravidas Ghat to witness 'Ganga Aarti' on the banks of river Ganga.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has boarded Vivekanand Cruise at Ravidas Ghat in Varanasi. He will take part in 'Ganga Aarti' shortly. CM Yogi Adityanath and other CMs-Deputy CMs of BJP ruled states also present.
During his visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers to Sant Ravidas in Varanasi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath corridor during his two-day visit to Varanasi. See more photos here.
On Monday (December 13) afternoon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor connecting the ancient Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi to the ghats of the Ganga.
The corridor, said to be the PM’s dream project, has been built over an area of 5,000 hectares, and seeks to not only decongest but also transform the temple complex.
But what is changing at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex? Read the explainer by Divya A
PM Narendra Modi along with CM Yogi Adityanath has lunch with the workers involved in the construction work of Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with UP CM Yogi Adityanath inspects the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi.
"The inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham will give a decisive direction to India, will lead to a brighter future. This complex is a witness of our capability, of our duty," said PM Modi.
PM Modi said he want Indians to take three "sankalps" (pledges): Sanitation, innovation (srajan) and commitment towards atmanirbhar bharat.
Modi urged everyone to maintain sanitation around their homes and ghats for a healthy nation.
He added that India can create innovative start ups and establish unicorns. Every Indian must try to do something new for India, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi showered flower petals on workers and engineers involved in the Kashi Vishwanath corridor project. He thanked them during his address for their continued efforts despite the pandemic.
"The invaders attacked this city (Kashi), tried to destroy it! The history of Aurangzeb's atrocities, his terror is witness. He tried to change civilization by the sword, tried to crush the culture with fanaticism! But the soil of this country is different from the rest of the world," PM Modi said.
"If Aurangzeb comes here, a Shivaji also rises! If any Salar Masud moves here, then brave warriors like King Suheldev make him feel the power of our unity. And even during the British era, the people of Kashi knew what happened to Hastings," he added.