Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath lauded the Gyanvapi well, claiming it symbolizes Lord Vishwanath and serves as a profound medium for acquiring knowledge. He emphasized India's religious heritage and Sanatan Dharma's role in social unity and resilience against challenges like terrorism and COVID-19.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the Gyanvapi well in Varanasi is not merely a structure but a "profound medium" for acquiring knowledge and a "symbol of Lord Vishwanath him

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday (14 September) said that Gyanvapi in Varanasi is the embodiment of Lord Vishwanath, though some people "unfortunately" call it a mosque.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while recalling an incident from Adi Shankar’s visit to Kashi for Gyan Sadhna, remarked that the Gyanvapi well in Kashi is not merely a structure but a profound medium for acquiring knowledge and a symbol of Lord Vishwanath himself.

CM Adityanath also sought to give reasoning as to why 'Gyanvapi was actually Vishwanath' and cited a story from Hindu mythology regarding Adi Shankaracharya. He also stated that if the society had understood and identified the hurdles of past, the country would have never been colonised.

“Gyanvapi, which some today unfortunately refer to as a mosque, is actually Vishwanath-Ji himself,” Mr. Adityanath said, while addressing the inaugural session of an international seminar on the ‘Contribution of Nathpanth in the creation of a harmonious society’ at Deendayal Upadhyay University in Gorakhpur.