Akhilesh Yadav slams BJP over demolition of Bismillah Khan's ancestral house
text_fields
Varanasi: A political controversy has erupted over the demolition of part of the ancestral residence of legendary shehnai maestro and Bharat Ratna awardee Ustad Bismillah Khan in Varanasi, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accusing the BJP of undermining the country's shared cultural heritage.
In a post on X, Yadav criticised the demolition, alleging that destroying the property associated with the renowned musician amounted to disrespecting his national legacy.
However, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) denied any involvement, stating that the demolition was undertaken by the family after it declined a proposal to convert the ancestral house into a museum.
VMC Public Relations Officer Sandeep Srivastava said the civic body had approached the family with the museum proposal as part of efforts to preserve the legacy of prominent personalities associated with the city.
Bismillah Khan's grandson, Mohammad Sibtain, said the nearly 90-year-old structure had become severely dilapidated and was brought down with the family's consent. He also rejected allegations of political interference.
Police officials said the property owner independently proceeded with the demolition after the building was flagged for its poor structural condition.
The family plans to establish a museum on the first floor of the reconstructed building to preserve the musician's belongings and memorabilia.
Bismillah Khan, who received the Bharat Ratna in 2001, played a major role in popularising the shehnai as a concert instrument.