Presdent's participation in Ganga Aarti at Kashi cancelled

Varanasi: President Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a visit to Varanasi, will not participate in Ganga Aarti on Friday. He will return to Delhi tonight after attending Banaras Hindu University’s centennial year function as his Dasahswamedh Ghat visit has been cancelled.

The ADM Protocol office received the revised itinerary of President's visit after midnight on Wednesday. As per initial itinerary, the President had to visit Dashaswamedh Ghat on Friday morning to perform 'pujan’ and 'Aarti’ of holy Ganga on the occasion of Ganga Saptami.

The SSP Akash Kulhary said that some serious allegations had been levelled on the organisers of Ganga Saptami event at Dashaswamedh Ghat, which had also been forwarded to the President’s office. On the condition of anonymity, a senior officials mentioned that one Dilip had made a complaint with President office alleging that organisers of Ganga Saptami event have collected huge donation in the name of inviting.

The district magistrate Rajmani Yadav admitted that President’s office had taken note of such allegation and sought an investigation report on it. He said, “Those allegations could not prove true during a preliminary investigation. Mentioning the same in the preliminary report, we sent to the President office on Wednesday afternoon.” The officials hinted that further investigation in this matter will continue.