After Congress terms "Namo Ghat" entry fee as "Jizya", authorities roll back

The authorities have retracted the decision of levying a fee for entry to the Namo Ghat following a backlash on social media over the move. The authorities had started from Tuesday charging Rs 10 for entry to the Khidkiya Ghat, also called Namo Ghat because of three large sculptures in the form of hands folded in “namaste”.

Varanasi(Uttar Pradesh): The Municipal Corporation authorities have retracted the decision of levying a fee for entry to the Namo Ghat here following a backlash on social media over the move. The authorities had started from Tuesday charging Rs 10 for entry to the Khidkiya Ghat, also called Namo Ghat because of three large sculptures in the form of hands folded in “namaste”.

The decision was taken back on Wednesday after directions from higher officials, Varanasi Samart City project PRO Shakhambhari Nandan said. "The entry fee was fixed so that unscrupulous elements do not enter the ghat and the amount was to be spent on its maintenance," he added. while

Earlier, Congress and Samajwadi Party had raised questions over entry fees being charged for newly inaugurated "Namo Ghat" by Varanasi Municipal Corporation. UP's spokesperson for Congress Sanjeev Singh called the decision as "Hitlershahi" and referred the entry fees as "Jizya" (a tax paid for religious visits by non-Muslims to Muslim rulers).

"Varanasi is known for its Ganga Ghat and Subah-e-Banaras while visiting Ganga Ghats is included in the daily routine of the people. But now people, who are in power using the name of religion are using religion as a tool to earn money. First they turned the mythical "Kashi Vishwanath" into a money business and now they are initiating a practice of destroying the Ghats of 'Maa Ganga'.

Joining the Congress leader, Samajwadi Party's spokesperson Manoj Rai has said, "Smart City is a window to collect money in the name of making the city a "smart city". But the problems being faced by the people of Varanasi because of the traffic jams are not getting their attention. There was never a fee charged from people for visiting Ganga Ghats, but now a lot wrongful things are being done by charging visitors from outside the city"

In the year 2019, PM Modi inaugurated the Namo Ghat which was built in two phases. Namo Ghat is the first such Ghat of Kashi which is connected by water, land and air. There are three large sculptures in the form of hands folded in "namaste" that have been built at a cost of 34 crores. Namo Ghat is about half a kilometer long in which Make in India and Vocal for Local have been promoted. GAIL India has also built a floating CNG station at this ghat.