Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav has launched a scathing attack on the BJP government over the ongoing demolition drive in Varanasi's historic Dal Mandi area, demanding an immediate halt to what he termed as "political demolition" targeting traders who didn't vote for the ruling party.
Political Motives Behind Demolition Drive
During a press conference held in Lucknow on Friday, November 21, 2025, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister accused the BJP government of carrying out demolitions in the Dal Mandi area as punishment for the local population's voting patterns. "This is not a development project. It is a political project," Yadav asserted, flanked by concerned residents and traders from the affected area.
The SP chief elaborated that the government was following a "divide and rule" strategy to complete what he called a politically motivated project. "They are doing this because they cannot win in that area. They want to scare people, divide communities," Akhilesh told mediapersons, highlighting what he sees as the government's ulterior motives behind the road-widening project.
Generational Livelihoods at Stake
Akhilesh Yadav emphasized the human cost of the demolition drive, noting that numerous traders from Dal Mandi have operated small shops for generations and now face complete loss of their livelihoods. He pointed out that several businesses in the area are decades old, with some establishments even predating the institutions that currently approve building maps.
The opposition leader refuted the government's claim that the road widening was necessary to preserve Varanasi's heritage, countering that "this is not a heritage plan". He contrasted the government's approach with international practices, stating that in many countries, narrow heritage lanes are protected rather than demolished.
"Instead of preserving heritage markets as done in major tourist cities worldwide, the BJP government is destroying them," Akhilesh stated, adding that traders are being uprooted without any viable alternatives that safeguard their customer base or livelihoods.
Inadequate Rehabilitation Plan
The Samajwadi Party chief strongly criticized the government's rehabilitation proposal for displaced traders, particularly the plan to relocate shopkeepers to areas like Lohata or Mohansarai. He argued that these alternative locations lack adequate footfall to sustain the businesses that have thrived in Dal Mandi for generations.
"On one side, the government talks about development, and on the other, it is taking away the livelihood of traders whose shops have been established for generations," Akhilesh said, reinforcing his demand for an immediate cessation of the demolition activities.
During the press conference, several affected traders including Rahul Arora, Bhale Yadav, Sajid, and Nilofer Bano shared their concerns about coercive acquisition methods, fear of displacement, inadequate compensation, and alleged threats from officials. They collectively appealed to the government to withdraw the road widening project and protect their means of survival.
Broader Development Concerns in Varanasi
Akhilesh Yadav also accused the BJP government of halting previous development initiatives in Varanasi, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency. He claimed that had the SP remained in power, metro work in the city would have progressed sufficiently to prevent such large-scale demolitions.
"They stopped river-cleaning work on the Varuna, they halted traffic planning, and now they are destroying markets. This is narrow-minded politics," the SP leader alleged, referencing PM Modi's election promise of transforming Varanasi into the Japanese city of Kyoto.
The former chief minister concluded that instead of undertaking exemplary work to fulfill this promise, the BJP government was engaging in what he characterized as politically driven projects that ultimately harm the very people they are meant to serve.
