Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the ongoing redevelopment of the historic Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi. Kharge alleged that the project was aimed at erasing centuries-old cultural and religious heritage merely to leave behind the Prime Minister’s political imprint.

In a post on social media platform X, Kharge accused the government of demolishing ancient structures under the guise of renovation. He claimed that Manikarnika Ghat, referenced as early as the Gupta period and restored by Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar, was being damaged through bulldozer-driven redevelopment.

The remarks come amid protests against the demolition drive at the ghat. Protesters have alleged that a century-old idol of Ahilyabai Holkar and several consecrated idols were damaged during the process, though the district administration has denied the claims. District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar said all artefacts were secured by the culture department and would be reinstalled after completion of the project.

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Kharge further alleged that the government had earlier demolished temples and shrines in the name of corridor projects and is now targeting ancient ghats. Calling Kashi the world’s oldest living city, he said its spiritual and cultural identity was under threat and questioned whether restoration could not have been carried out while preserving heritage.

Drawing parallels with previous redevelopment projects, Kharge accused the government of sidelining statues of national leaders from the Parliament complex and altering the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial. He argued that heritage should be preserved in museums if relocation was unavoidable, rather than destroyed during redevelopment.

Manikarnika Ghat, one of Hinduism’s most sacred cremation grounds believed to grant ‘moksha’, continues to witness protests led by local groups and religious organisations. Opposition leaders, including Congress’s Uttar Pradesh president Ajay Rai, have described the redevelopment as an attack on Sanatan culture, intensifying the political debate around the project.

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