Demolition a political exercise in Varanasi, should be stopped, says Akhilesh

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday (November 21, 2025) alleged that the ongoing demolition in Varanasi’s Dal Mandi area is a “political demolition” initiated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to weaken opponents, and demanded that the exercise be stopped immediately.

“The BJP government has created a crisis for the traders of Varanasi Dal Mandi. Demolishing the shops of traders is injustice with them. This is not a plan to save history or to save heritage; such demolition is political. The BJP has lost the election from that market, that is why it is harassing the traders. The BJP is adopting the policy of divide and rule to fulfill its political plan,” said Mr. Yadav, addressing the media in Lucknow.

Mr. Yadav, who met the aggrieved traders of Varanasi’s Dal Mandi at the Samajwadi State Office in Lucknow, said that the political demolition of Varanasi Dal Mandi should be stopped.

“Many countries in the world which have developed and provided facilities while preserving their historical things and heritage, which has benefited the business from the tourists who come to them. We demand the protection and respect the traders and businessmen of the dal market,” he added.

The SP leader added, “a market like Dal Mandi is not built in a day; people have been living and doing business there for a long time. It takes years to build and build a shop; it does not take a moment to demolish it. The BJP government wants to demolish the shops. Compensation can include a shop elsewhere, but not a customer and a market. The BJP is anti-business and anti-businessmen. The BJP people are negative. In the name of widening, they are conspiring with narrow mindset.”

Mr. Yadav, vowed the injustice and atrocities of BJP will not last long. “This government has not done any work in nine years. Injustice and atrocities have been done to farmers, youth, traders and the general public. Their rights and entitlements have been snatched away. Government properties have been sold. But, I assure everyone, the BJP will not last long,” he said.