Overview
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said broken idols were being brought from outside to mislead the public and cautioned against AI-altered videos tied to the Manikarnika Ghat works.
- Varanasi District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar stated that artefacts found at the site have been secured by the culture department and will be reinstalled after construction.
- The Congress, led by Mallikarjun Kharge with Priyanka Gandhi and Ajay Rai, demanded an immediate halt to the project and consultations with Kashi’s religious leaders as protests continued.
- Yeshwantrao Holkar of the Khasgi Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Charities Trust alleged demolition without notice on January 10 and said effigies linked to Ahilyabai Holkar were found in debris.
- The Rs 17.56 crore project, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone in July 2023, targets wider access, cleaner cremation facilities, ramps, and organized wood storage.