Ajay Rai Terms CM Yogi's Visit A 'Cover-Up'; Challenges Govt

VARANASI/LUCKNOW: Escalating the political battle over the Manikarnika Ghat controversy, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Rai launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, dismissing his visit to Varanasi as a mere "cover-up" exercise.

The Challenge: Responding to the CM's claim that videos of broken statues were AI-generated, Rai issued an open challenge. He stated that if the government has the courage and the images are indeed fake, they should take all journalists to the site to clarify the reality.

Rai accused the BJP of destroying the mythology and culture of Kashi, stating that those who claimed "Mother Ganga called them" have become enemies of the river and the city.

He pointed out the irony that the BJP celebrated Queen Ahilyabai Holkar's 300th birth anniversary with coin releases just six months ago, only to run bulldozers over her statues now.

Rai condemned the government for filing FIRs to silence the truth instead of admitting mistakes. He asked if the government would also register an FIR against Yashwant Rao Holkar, the trustee who had issued a letter and shared photos confirming the damage. During his address, Rai showed a video where a BJP minister allegedly admitted to the demolition. He also displayed a letter from the Ahilyabai Holkar Trust that mentioned the breaking of the statues.