Varanasi’s lanes and ghats celebrate its MP’s 12 years as Prime Minister

Varanasi: Supporters of Narendra Modi held a series of events to mark the completion of 12 years as Prime Minister in his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, on Wednesday.BJP state president and Union minister Pankaj Chaudhary began the day’s engagements with a visit to Kashi Anathalaya in the Lahurabir area, where he interacted with inmates and distributed fruits, sweets, clothes and other essential articles. The outreach activity was projected by party functionaries as part of the service-oriented celebrations being held across the district to highlight Modi’s long association with Varanasi and his representation of the constituency in Parliament.In the evening, Chaudhary performed Rudrabhishek rituals at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple under the supervision of priests and scholars. He then moved with a group of BJP public representatives and workers to the Ganga Dwar of Kashi Vishwanath Dham and proceeded to Lalita Ghat for Deepdaan on the Ganga. Chaudhary remained at the ghat through the completion of the Ganga aarti.Across the city, BJP leaders and supporters organised parallel cleanliness drives and distribution programmes. In Varanasi City South, a mega sanitation drive was launched in areas around Kashi Vishwanath Dham and the old city, with local MLA Neelkanth Tiwari flagging it off from Namo Ghat. Religious rituals were held at Hathile Hanuman Temple with prasad distribution, followed by fruit distribution at Shiv Prasad Gupt Divisional Hospital and at an old age home in Durgakund.In City North, mayor Ashok Tiwari and BJP city chief Pradeep Agrahari led a cleanliness drive in slum areas of Maldahiya and later distributed fruits at Hanuman Prasad Poddar Andh Mahavidyalaya. Similar drives were reported at Shastri Ghat, led by MLA and UP minister Ravindra Jaiswal. UP minister Dayashankar Mishra Dayalu visited Govt Ayurved College in Chaukaghat to distribute fruits among patients.Varanasi Cantt MLA Saurabh Srivastava led a cleanliness drive at Assi Ghat, participated in rituals at Tilbhandeshwar Temple and visited Mata Anandmayi Hospital in Bhadaini and an old age home in Ramnagar for distribution activities. Party leaders described Modi’s 12-year tenure as “historic,” linking the celebrations to his role as Varanasi MP and citing governance, development and global standing as key themes.