Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Rs 339 crore Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project connecting the Kashi Vishwanath temple with the Ganga ghats earlier this week, in what was a “historic day” for the holy city of Varanasi and the country. Before inaugurating the corridor, Modi greeted the labourers who were involved in the construction of the project with flowers and even shared a meal with them, thereby cutting through the “classist” mindset prevalent among erstwhile regimes. Don’t forget that India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru had, in the summer of 1951, actually admonished the then President Dr Rajendra Prasad, who wanted to attend the grand inauguration ceremony at Somnath temple. Nehru chided Prasad, accusing the latter of engaging in Hindu revivalism. The restoration of Kashi Vishwanath Dham is therefore a resurrection of all that Hinduism, aka Hindutva, stands for in terms of inclusivity and beyond. Modi is not apologetic about his Hindu credentials and rightfully so. Be it foundation stone laying ceremony of Ram Janmabhoomi, the beautification of Somnath temple, the restoration of Kedarnath Dham or freeing Char Dham in Uttarakhand from government control, the BJP and the Modi government have never shied away from espousing the cause of Hindu Dharma.Those who accuse PM Modi of espousing the majoritarian cause, conveniently forget the rampant minoritarianism that has been propounded persistently for decades together by successive Congress regimes, right from throwing lavish iftar parties to making a mockery of Hinduism by denying the very existence of Lord Ram and Ram Sethu, which have been integral to Hindutva.
The Kashi temple’s area has been expanded to a massive five lakh square feet. Maratha queen, Ahilyabai Holkar of Maharashtra had helped to rebuild the Kashi Vishwanath temple in 1780, after it was repeatedly destroyed during Mughal rule. Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab had helped in gold plating and beautifying the temple in 1833.
Restoring Kashi Vishwanath Dham to its earlier glory is one of the biggest testimonies to how the Modi government is unshackling India from its erstwhile colonial legacy. The new complex is a reflection of our capability, of our duty. It shows that nothing is impossible if one is determined. It took a tall leader of the stature of PM Modi to finally restore India’s glorious heritage after successive regimes failed to do so. The Congress which ruled India for the longest time only paid lip service to the cause of our great saints, seers, temples and monuments.
Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is not just about reviving our rich heritage and holy pilgrimage sites, but also about continuing with modern development projects that will pave the way for growth, with an eye on the future.
While work is done to beautify the Somnath mandir, a modern optic fiber cable network is also being laid under the sea. While the Ayodhya temple is being built, at the same time several new medical colleges are also being opened in adjoining districts. And while the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project has been completed, crores of “pucca” houses for the poor are also being built in the region. Hence, the Modi mantra is both about development and reclaiming our pristine legacy of yore. Cleanliness, innovation and continuous efforts for an Atma Nirbhar Bharat, are the things that Kashi Vishwanath Corridor amplifies in more ways than one.
Over 40 startup unicorns, each valued above Rs 7000 crore, that have been created by Indian youth in the last year or so, reflect the great potential that India has, something the PM highlighted during his engagements at Kashi. The whole new complex of Baba Vishwanath Dham is not just a grand building, but also a symbol of the Sanatan culture of India. It is a symbol of our spiritual soul, it is a symbol of India’s antiquity and traditions. Prime Minister Modi’s desire to restore Kashi Vishwanath Dham was driven by the intent to facilitate the pilgrims and devotees, who had to encounter congested streets and surroundings with poor upkeep, when they practiced the age-old custom of taking dip in the holy river, collecting Gangajal and offering it at the Baba Vishwanath temple.
A total of 23 buildings were inaugurated in phase 1 of the project. The buildings will provide a variety of facilities to the pilgrims visiting Kashi Vishwanath Temple, including Yatri Suvidha Kendras, Tourist Facilitation Centre, Vedic Kendra, Mumukshu Bhavan, Bhogshala, City Museum, Viewing Gallery, Food Court, among others. The project is now spread over a massive area of about 5 lakh square feet, whereas earlier premises was limited to just around 3000 square feet. The project involved purchase and acquisitions of more than 300 properties around Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The rehabilitation of around 1400 shopkeepers, tenants and homeowners was done amicably. The testimony of the project’s success is the fact that there is no litigation pending in any court of the country regarding acquisitions or rehabilitation related to the development of the project. Also, all heritage structures have been preserved during the course of development of the project. During the process of destruction of the old properties, more than 40 ancient temples were rediscovered. These temples have been restored and beautified, while ensuring that there is no change in the original structure.
Thanks to PM Modi’s ability to translate vision into reality, Kashi is becoming a big medical hub of the Purvanchal. Cleanliness and beauty of the Ganga and Kashi have always been an aspiration and priority for the Modi government. Work is on for schemes worth Rs 8000 crore in the region. Various public projects and works, including a 100 bed MCH wing in BHU, multi-level parking at Godauliya, Ro-Ro vessels for tourism development on river Ganga, and three lane flyover bridge on the Varanasi Ghazipur highway, showcase how aastha (faith) and vikas (development) have embraced each other. Additionally, the foundation stones of several projects and public works worth around Rs 839 crores was also laid. These include the Center for Skill and Technical Support of Central Institute of Petrochemical Engineering and Technology (CIPET), 143 rural projects under Jal Jeevan Mission and mango and vegetable integrated pack house in Karkhiyaon.
The rapidly improving medical infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh is also commendable. Number of medical colleges in the last four years has grown four-fold. Many medical colleges are in various states of completion. About 550 oxygen plants are being established in the State. The efforts to improve pediatric ICUs and oxygen facilities by the State government is happening rapidly. The recently announced Rs 23000 crore package will also help Uttar Pradesh. Work is being done on every front, like roads, sewage treatment, beautification of parks and ghats, including widening of Panchkosi Marg.
Large LED screens installed all over the city and latest technology information boards on the ghats will be of great help to the visitors to Kashi. These LED screens and information boards will present the history, architecture, crafts, art, and every such information of Kashi in an attractive way and will be of great use to the devotees. The Ro-Ro service and cruise service that were inaugurated recently will boost tourism and the Rudraksh center will provide a world class platform to the artists of the city.
The development of Kashi as a center of learning in modern times has been made possible, thanks to PM Modi. Today Kashi is also home to model schools, ITI and many such institutions. CIPET’s Center for Skilling & Technical Support will help in the area of industrial development. The infrastructure development in Uttar Pradesh has been relentless in recent times. The Defence Corridor, Purvanchal Expressway, Bundelkhand Expressway, Gorakhpur Link Expressway and Ganga Expressway are a few examples of the recent push.Today there is rule of law in UP. The mafia raj and terrorism, which were once out of bounds, are now a thing of the past. Today the government in UP is run by development, not on corruption or nepotism. That is why, today in UP, the people are getting the benefits of welfare schemes directly. That is why, today new industries are investing in UP and employment opportunities are increasing under the Modi-Yogi double engine sarkaar. Long back Franklin D. Roosevelt had said: “Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds”. Well, that quote held true for India, where for decades together, Hindus were deprived of a sense of pride in their culture and their roots. But after Prime Minister Modi took charge at the helm, India has been unstoppable in its march towards both, economic progress and spiritual vibrancy, with our mindset now, unshackled by any strapping of colonialism. Kashi is today, a microcosm of how growth, prosperity and pride in our historical roots, can all coexist harmoniously.
The writer is an Economist, National Spokesperson of the BJP and the Bestselling Author of ‘Truth & Dare-The Modi Dynamic’. Views expressed are the writer’s personal.