On the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Varanasi for the first time since the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party has voiced strong criticisms. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh accused Modi of barely securing a win in his constituency and posed several questions regarding unmet promises and issues in Varanasi. Here are the key points raised by Ramesh:
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- Vote of No-Confidence: Ramesh claimed that Modi barely edged past his Congress rival, indicating a vote of no-confidence from Varanasi’s people.
- Namami Gange Project: He questioned why the Ganga river is dirtier than before despite spending Rs 20,000 crore on the Namami Gange project.
- Rejection of Nominations: Ramesh highlighted that 33 candidates’ nominations were rejected in Varanasi during the elections, suggesting potential election rigging.
- Faecal Coliform Levels: He cited that faecal coliform bacteria levels in the Ganga are a million times higher than the permissible limit, contradicting government claims of improvement.
- Election Irregularities: Only seven candidates’ nomination papers were accepted for the Varanasi seat in 2024, compared to 26 in 2019 and 42 in 2014.
- BHU Cardiology Beds: He questioned why 41 of 47 beds in the Banaras Hindu University’s cardiology department are lying idle.
- Varanasi Port Failure: Ramesh criticized the non-functional Varanasi Port, which was inaugurated in 2019 after substantial investment.
- Adani Ports: He questioned Modi’s inclination to hand over national resources to Adani, particularly in the context of privatizing the failing Varanasi Port.
- Adopted Villages: He accused Modi of abandoning the villages he had adopted in Varanasi, indicating a lack of commitment to his constituents.
- Gandhian Legacy: Ramesh criticized Modi for allegedly destroying Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy by taking over the Sarwa Sewa Sangh’s land, while hypocritically praising Gandhi abroad.
