Narendra Modi plans to nurture Ganga as 'national project': Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi plans to declare Ganga a ' national project' and develop and nurture the holy city of Varanasi if he becomes the Prime Minister, Amit Shah, a close aide of the Gujarat CM, said on Tuesday. Varanasi is the second constituency from where Modi contested the Lok Sabha polls.

Under a Modi government, development of the heritage city and the river would become a national project and hence not remain only within the jurisdiction of the state government, Shah said.

It was not without any reason that Modi, while filing his nomination, had said he had got a "call from Mother Ganga" which drew him to the city. After all, Ganga is one of the strongest Hindutva symbols. "Ganga will be declared a national project and through that Varanasi will be developed," said Shah, who strategized for polls in UP.

Shah's reply was to a question on how Modi will nurture and ensure development in Varanasi in the Samajwadi Party-run state.

BJP's manifesto also devotes two paragraphs under the head of 'Cultural Heritage', to the river. "Ganga is a symbol of faith in India ... People and cattle depend on it for agriculture, fodder and drinking water... Unfortunately even decades of Independence, the Ganga continues to be polluted and is dying. BJP commits to ensure the cleanliness, purity and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga on priority. In addition, a massive 'Clean Rivers Programme' will be launched across the country driven by people's participation," it says.