A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday claimed the project was approved during his term and there was documentary evidence of it.
He alleged that the BJP government has lined up a series of programmes to herald the start of the corridor only to deflect people's attention from PM's failure to double the income of farmers.
"All of you know who made the promise of doubling the income of the farmers. Today due to price rise fertilisers are not available, so how will the income of the farmers be doubled?
"Just so that public does not ask this question, they are bringing Kashi Vishvanath Corridor. And if there is any cabinet which passed the Kashi Vishvanath Corridor, it was Samajwadi Party's government's," Akhilesh told reporters here.
"We will provide you with the documents. Because this time, we will talk with proof, he said.
Akhilesh Yadav ruled Uttar Pradesh (UP) from 2012 to 2017 and was succeeded by Yogi Adityanath.
The corridor has been built as a mega project and is expected to boost tourism in the ancient city - which is also the PM's Lok Sabha constituency.
The inauguration of the state-of-the-art infrastructure surrounding the historic Kashi Vishwanath Temple near the iconic Dashashwamedh Ghat on December 13 comes ahead of the assembly polls in UP early next year.
The corridor project is the latest flashpoint between the BJP and the SP locked in a fierce contest.
Akhilesh in recent weeks has claimed that his government either started or approved projects being inaugurated by the BJP government, including Purvanchal Express and Saryu Canal Nation Project.
After laying the foundation stone of the corridor, Modi had said the project would be a model for "protection and preservation" of temples and a combination of modern technology with ancient faith.
He had also said this project would become a model for similar projects elsewhere and give a new global identity to Kashi.
The project had also drawn criticism from various heritage experts as a large number of old buildings were demolished to make way for the corridor that also provides a direct link from the temple to Ganga River.
Early December, the architect of the project, Bimal Patel, had said the original structure of the temple had not been tampered with while developing the site, adding, apart from beautifying the area, tourist facilities have been enhanced.
"The project includes the construction of Temple Chowk, Varanasi city gallery, museum, multipurpose auditoriums, hall, devotee facilitation centre, public convenience, salvation home, Godowlia Gate, Bhogshala, shelter for priests and sevadars, spiritual book space, and others," Patel had said in a statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government.
About 70 per cent of the 5.50 lakh sq ft area of the project have been kept for green cover, he said, adding, "We worked towards fulfilling the prime minister's vision of reorganising the temple premises to restore its grandeur."
Varanasi Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agarwal had earlier said that 40 ancient temples were found following the demolition of buildings around the main temple. These centuries-old temples, which were earlier hidden, are now visible. They will be preserved and opened to the public.
