In another embarrassment for the Congress, it stands exposed again for manufacturing false narratives this time by making misleading claims about the development works going on in PM Modi’s constituency, Varanasi. This time Sanjay Nirupam, who was replaced as the Mumbai Congress chief by Milind Deora recently, is the culprit. In his statements made during a public event in Varanasi Sanjay Nirupam has claimed that Narendra Modi is the modern incarnation of Aurangzeb, he also claimed that people are being charged ‘Rs 550’ for darshan at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. He has also made nonsensical and misleading comments about the development works going on in Varanasi.
#WATCH Sanjay Nirupam, Congress, in Varanasi: I feel that the person that people here have chosen- that Narendra Modi is actually the modern incarnation of Aurangzeb. (07.05.2019) pic.twitter.com/u6x0UsgU3D
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 8, 2019
“After coming to Varanasi I saw that hundreds of temples have been destroyed in the city. There is also a newly-imposed Rs 550 fee for the darshan of Lord Vishwanath. I feel that Prime Minister Modi is a modern-day Aurangzeb. He has succeeded in destroying those temples which the people of Banaras defended even during the peak of Aurangzeb’s cruel regime,” Nirupam told reporters
“I condemn the modern day Aurangzeb who has imposed a jizya (tax) on the devotees for visiting their lord. The irony is Narendra Modi talks about protecting Hindu beliefs and rights and breaks temples. I condemn his acts,” he added.
However these comments amount to nothing more than misleading and polarizing tactics, Sanjay Nirupam by his comments was indicating towards the construction of Kashi Vishwanath corridor, which runs from the banks of Ganga directly to Kashi Vishwanath temple, regarding which various small structures and buildings were demolished as a part of construction plans.
The claim made by Sanjay Nirupam about the imposition a a fee for the darshan are also just a misleading statement, There is no fee imposed by the temple administration for a regular darshan at Baba Vishwanath temple however for special ceremonies and poojas and VIP darshans a specific amount is charged and has been indicated on the Kashi Vishwanath temple website.
These comment by Sanjay Nirupam only point towards the Congress’s desperate attempts to save face in the last two phases of the general election. By striking the communal chords by playing politics over Kashi Vishwanath temple Congress has again displayed the bankruptcy of ideas that prevails in the opposition Camp.
Congress has been called out multiple times for similar incidents of peddling blatant lies without any restraint. Recently Congress president, Rahul Gandhi was also snubbed by the Supreme Court for attributing comments against the Prime minister to the Court, for the same Congress chief has today tendered an unconditional apology. In another incident Congress president in an election rally had also claimed that that Narendra Modi government had enacted a new law which allowed tribals to be shot at. EC has issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi for the same.
These General elections have been witnessing meek attempts from political parties to manufacture and peddle fake narratives to aid their electoral conquest. With party’s desperate and peddling fake narratives to save political ground from the BJP, these attempts are failing to stand the test of cores of Indians. These narratives which earlier used to get unopposed traction from elite media circles are also being questioned on their credibility and their verifiability.