Narendra Modi Must Retain Varanasi Seat

                       Deciphering the Varanasi Mandate

Varanasi May 4. It is not jumping the EVMs to suggest Narendra Modi that he must retain Varanasi Lok Sabha Seat. Actually, there is no need to suggest (request is out of question) Modi that he should vacate Vadodara seat in favour of Varanasi. Apart from Grand Road Show, Banarasis done a great favour to Modi by overwhelmingly supporting him. So, let us begin with that Modi won the Varanasi seat by margin of 1 (one) vote.

                          Now it is also appropriate time to decipher the mandate of Varanasi. It is pertinent as after the election results are announced, no body would talk about Varanasi, whom political pundits are presently forced to acknowledge as a great city, microcosm of India, eternal city, spiritual capital of India  and what not.

                          From personal experience , Banarasis know well, that Varanasi gradually lost its pivotal position in national affairs. Actually the great city disappeared from national radar and so-called national media scene. While heading Varanasi Bureau of a National News Agency I was a witness to the eclipse of   "city of light". Can one imagine that in Vatican and Kabaa of India, National News Agencies don't have a regular office and correspondent. While in Delhi I noticed that Varanasi found space in National newspapers only when there was a terrorist strike in a temple or on Ganga Ghat. After the Death of Bismillah Khan , cultural czars of Delhi lost all interest in Varanasi.

                          Advent of Narendra Modi and Kejriwal renewed some interest in Varanasi, though cultural and spiritual ignorance about Kashi's past or present is all pervasive- little you know about cities like Varanasi, greater would be your stature.

                          So now it is time to decipher mandate of Varanasi and Narendra Modi should ponder over  it here and now.First of all he should bow before people of Varanasi that they gave him  honour to represent the city; Modi is  chosen as successor of Annie Besant, Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Dr Bhagwan Das, Sampurnanand , Pandit Kamlapati Tripathi and Raj Narayan.

                        It is mirage to expect from a member of Parliament or even a Prime Minister, that he would revive or restore the spiritual, intellectual, cultural and social status of Varanasi. To begin with , Modi should announce, after swearing in , a time bound programme for cleansing of Ganga and improving the infrastructure of the city. He should not make a folly of thinking in term of creating a London, a Hon Kong, a Singapore on the left bank of Ganga . The financial resources which are being dumped in the desert city like Delhi should be invested in the city of god.

                     Varanasi is crucial for the survival of mankind ; Modi can be a Nimitta in this Yagna.

                      And he should remember that ultimately it is Linga of Shiva who will decide the fate of this great city not any Prime Minister or President.    (continued)