Congress MP Imran Masood unleashed a blistering attack on the Uttar Pradesh BJP government, alleging a systematic assault on religious faith via demolitions at Manikarnika Ghat. In an exclusive interview from Saharanpur, he portrayed the actions as a grave insult to millions of believers.
Central to his outrage are reports of temples being bulldozed in Varanasi, including a Shiv mandir and a Hanuman murti yanked by tractor, as evidenced by Ahilyabai Holkar Trust releases. ‘People’s devotion is being crushed under bulldozer tracks,’ Masood stated emphatically.
He linked this to patterns elsewhere: Bareilly residents jailed for private namaz, and a historic Delhi temple razed for RSS parking. Probing deeper, Masood questioned BJP’s sensitivity: ‘Running heavy machinery over mandirs and masjids – no remorse?’ He cited data claiming peak temple breakdowns and land encroachments during BJP’s watch, ready for parliamentary showdown.
The state Congress unit amplified the call, interrogating Yogi Adityanath: Prove AI fakery with solid evidence, disclose the idol’s fate, and reconcile officials’ confessions with official dismissals. Such inconsistencies scream cover-up.
Varanasi’s sanctity hangs in balance as this controversy brews. What began as local cleanup has morphed into a national flashpoint on faith versus development. As pilgrims flock to the ghats, the political narrative intensifies, with Congress positioning itself as faith’s guardian.