The BJP responded to Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav’s allegations of temple demolitions in Varanasi by providing three fact checks to refute what they called misleading information for political purposes. Amit Malviya, in charge of the BJP’s National Information and Technology Department, stated that the opposition was spreading false claims about temple damage in Kashi using fake visuals and AI-generated content. Malviya clarified that no temples or idols were damaged, countering claims that a temple was demolished to make way for a hotel by explaining that the hotel is being built on the site of a hospital that closed in 2010.
The BJP further addressed the issue by debunking other allegations, including the claim that the idol of Ahilyabai was demolished, clarifying that the artwork has been reinstated. This response from the BJP came following Akhilesh Yadav’s criticism of the Uttar Pradesh government regarding the alleged demolition of temples and statues during road-widening activities in Varanasi’s Dal Mandi area near Manikarnika Ghat. Yadav had posted images on social media suggesting damage to statues, with one image captioned “Ahilyabai statue in debris.”
Akhilesh Yadav’s comments followed his recent political confrontation with the BJP over the Dal Mandi redevelopment project, where he accused the ruling party of targeting small traders and residents in the region.
