Uttar Pradesh Minister Neelkanth Tiwari on Wednesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for retrieving the idol of Maa Annapurna, stolen from Varanasi around 100 years ago, from Canada and said that the step should have been taken way before no one bothered about it.
Speaking to ANI, Tiwari said, "The Centre will hand over the idol to the Uttar Pradesh government's Dharmarth Karya Vibhag on November 11 which will be followed by its journey in a grand procession from Delhi. The idol will be kept in four cities where people can offer their prayers. The idol will be installed at Kashi Vishwanath Temple on November 15."
He also informed that Union Minister for Culture G Kishan Reddy will also be present while the Centre will hand over the idol to the Uttar Pradesh government.
"People in Kashi and Uttar Pradesh are thankful to PM Modi. The step taken by the Prime Minister should have been taken way before but no one bothered about it," the minister said.
"The good deed payoff good result. We are going to celebrate the 75th Independence Day but no one tried to retrieve the idol. PM Modi tried to bring it back and was successful," he added.
The Ministry of Culture in an official release had earlier informed that The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) received the idol on October 15 and it will now be taken from Delhi to Aligarh on November 11.
From there it will be taken to Kanauj on November 12 and reach Ayodhya on November 14. Finally, it will reach Varanasi on November 15 where it will be placed at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh after the appropriate rituals, the release had said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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