People visit Kashi in their 'final days: Akhilesh Yadav on PM Modi's visit

Lucknow, Dec 13: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Varanasi for the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.

Interacting with reporters, Akhilesh said "It's good that the programmes are one-month long (for Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi). They (PM Modi & other BJP leaders) should stay there for not only one, two or three months, people also spend their last moments in Banaras."

"UP public will remove BJP govt this time. The expressways which were built are SP's expressways. BJP can lie in front of us, but not in front of God. We'll provide a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the kin of farmers who lost their lives, once the SP govt is formed," Akhilesh said.

"All of you know which govt initiated the projects which the CM inaugurated in Etawah; the inaugurated jail and animal safaris still haven't been started, cricket stadium is in ruins, electricity bills are high. They've discriminated against Etawah," Akhilesh added.

On Sunday, Akhilesh claimed that the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi was approved during his term and there was documentary evidence of it.

"Just so that the public does not ask this question, they are bringing Kashi Vishvanath Corridor. And if there is any cabinet which passed the Kashi Vishvanath Corridor, it was the Samajwadi Party's government," Akhilesh told reporters here.

"We will provide you with the documents. Because this time, we will talk with proof," he said. Later, in a tweet in Hindi, he said, "The chronology of Kashi Vishvanath Corridor: Crores (of Rupees) were allocated in the Samajwadi Party regime. The SP government started acquisition of the buildings for the purpose of the Corridor.

"An honorarium was fixed for the temple staff. The 'paidaljeevi' (pedestrians) should tell that why the cleanliness drive of the Varuna river undertaken by the SP government was stopped, and what happened to the Metro (rail)?"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inaugurates the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi on Monday.