Patole Targets Modi, Yogi For Alleged Damage to Manikarnika Ghat

Mumbai: Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of insulting Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar and the Dhangar community by allegedly damaging the historic Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi.

Mr. Patole said Ahilyabai Holkar was known for her just and welfare-oriented rule and for rebuilding several major Hindu temples, including the Kashi Vishwanath and Somnath temples. He described the alleged demolition as an “attack on Hindu pride”.

Announcing that he would visit Manikarnika Ghat to protest against the alleged action, Mr. Patole said, “Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar ruled with justice, dharma and public welfare, and undertook the reconstruction of several temples sacred to Hinduism. However, Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath, who project themselves as protectors of Hinduism, have destroyed the sacred Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi that was built by Ahilyabai Holkar. This is an insult to all Hindus as well as to the Dhangar community.”

The Congress leader said Kashi was not merely a city but one of the most revered spiritual centres for Hindus, noting that Mr. Modi had been elected from the constituency three times. “In the name of developing Kashi, hundreds of temples were demolished, and now the Manikarnika Ghat built by Rajmata Ahilyadevi Holkar has been destroyed. Even the idol of Ahilyadevi has been broken,” he alleged.

Referring to Hindu beliefs, Mr. Patole said Manikarnika Ghat holds immense religious significance, as performing last rites there is believed to grant moksha (liberation). “By running bulldozers over a ghat sacred to Hinduism, the Prime Minister and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister have gravely insulted the Hindu community,” he said.

Taking a dig at Mr. Adityanath, Mr. Patole criticised the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s assertion that no damage had occurred and that visuals circulating on social media were generated using artificial intelligence. he added that members of the Holkar family had visited Kashi to verify the ground situation and had written to the government. “I will visit Kashi tomorrow to see the reality and protest against the Uttar Pradesh government and the Central government,” he said.