Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has said the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project was approved by his government and he has documentary evidence.
“Just so that the public does not ask this question, they are bringing Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. And if there is any cabinet which passed the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, it was the Samajwadi Party’s government,” Akhilesh told reporters on Sunday.
“We will provide you with the documents. Because this time, we will talk with proof,” he added.
The Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party was in power in Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to 2017, before Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government in the state with Yogi Adityanath at the helm.
“The chronology of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor: Crores (of Rupees) were allocated in the Samajwadi Party regime. The SP government started acquisition of the buildings for the purpose of the Corridor,” Akhilesh said in a tweet in Hindi later.
“An honorarium was fixed for the temple staff. The ‘paidaljeevi’ (pedestrians) should tell that why the cleanliness drive of the Varuna river undertaken by the SP government was stopped, and what happened to the Metro (rail)?” he asked.
With the crucial UP assembly elections right around the corner, the BJP and the SP have intensified their war of words as the ruling party is looking to retain its power while the opposition party is hoping for a comeback in the state.
Yadav in recent weeks has claimed his government either started or approved projects being inaugurated by the BJP government, including Purvanchal Express and Saryu Canal Nation Project.
Yadav also alleged the BJP government has lined up a series of programmes to deflect people’s attention from PM Modi’s “failure” to double the income of farmers.
PM Modi will on Monday inaugurate Phase 1 of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, constructed at a cost of around ₹339 crore. According to the statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Modi will visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offer prayers before the inauguration event at 1 pm.
The corridor is expected to boost tourism in the ancient city, which is also PM Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency.
