In Pics: Arvind Kejriwal's Varanasi visit

Varanasi: AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal arrived here Tuesday to a hostile reception from apparent supporters of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Arvind Kejriwal was to announce his candidature from Benaras in the General Lok Sabha Elections. Arvind Kejriwal has now publicly declared that he would be contesting against Narendra Modi in the General Elections 2014 after asking the gathering at the Holy city. "I don't see Banaras as a losing battle. I will defeat Modi" in the Lok Sabha election, the former Delhi chief minister told a television channel, shortly after reaching Varanasi by train from New Delhi."Fighting against Modi is a small thing," Kejriwal told an English news channel. "Saving the country from corruption is a big issue now."The former Delhi chief minister took a dip in the Ganges after arriving here by the Shiv Ganga Express from New Delhi. He said, "I prayed to God to give me the strength to fight and save the country."While he was inside the Kashi Vishwanath temple, protestors threw eggs on his car and steadily raised anti-Kejriwal slogans, asking him to leave the Hindu holy city.Security personnel had a tough time controlling the mob. The demonstrators said they wanted only Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to contest the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi. Calling him a "traitor", hundreds of slogan-shouting people blocked his cavalcade while raising slogans of "Modi, Modi". Despite sporadic protests, AAP's road show continued. The Aam Aadmi Party leader scheduled a rally to address a public rally at which he is expected to seek support for taking on Modi, the BJP's nominee from Varanasi.Smeared with sandalwood paste as he exited from the Vishwanath temple, Kejriwal did not speak to journalists and merely smiled even as the vocal protests continued.He first faced opposition by the BJP workers at Tagore town colony in Bhojubir locality where he halted at a party worker's residence and later faced similar opposition at Baba Kal Bhairon temple in Vishesehwarganj locality. The AAP workers retaliated by raising anti-Modi slogans, a party official said.After egg smashing a protestor slashed ink on Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, Somnath Bharti and other party workers. The man who threw the ink was identified as Ambrish, said to be a member of Hindu Vahini Sena. Police whisked him away. All through the route, many waved black flags and raised anti-AAP slogans.The leaders wiped off their faces and put up a brave front, and went to Beniabagh where they addressed a big rally.Later, as the roadshow moved through the narrow lanes of the temple city, it evoked mixed response from the crowd. AAP leader Sanjay Singh, spoke with ink stained on his kurta. He said, “BJP leaders swallowed crores of rupees donations collection in the name of Ram temple. People of Varanasi should stop giving votes in the name of religion and caste and vote on issues like poor roads, poor water and power supply. BJP leaders are Mayor, MP, and MLAs from here and yet Varanasi is full of filth. He went on to charge at Congress for making money from hearing aids of disabled people. AAP candidate from Amethi, Kumar Vishwas gives a rousing speech. He said, "Some leaders from Varanasi came to meet me in Amethi and thanked me for taking on Rahul Gandhi, but requested me not to allow Kejriwal to come to Varanasi. I asked them why? They said, Kashi is our locality. I told them, dogs have their own localities. ”Why do these people throw ink at us? Because we meet them in close range. These throwers don't have the courage to come within inches of their own leaders ringed by securitymen.”Arvind Kejriwal addressed the gathering. He said, “BJP people say I am a "bhagoda" (escapist). Lal Bahadur Shastri was the railway minister, who had resigned after a railway accident. BJP was not there at the time, otherwise they could have described Shastri as bhagoda.In the last 10 years, the UPA government looted the country, more compared to the British rulers. Kejriwal: Let me tell people of Varanasi: if you vote for Modi, your land will not be safe. Modi has links with industrialists like Advani and Adani. His government has taken away land from farmers and given to industrialists without giving compensation.Kejriwal: Modi's government acquired Rs 50 lakh per acre land at Rs 1 lakh per acre which he gave away to industrialist Adani. The farmers of Gujarat are shedding tears of blood. Earlier, farmers used to get subsidies on tractors and other implements, but Modi's government stopped those subsidies. 5,878 farmers have committed suicide in Gujarat in the last 10 years.Kejriwal: 60,000 small and medium scale industries have been closed in Gujarat in last 10 years. If Modi gets vote from here, the weavers and small industries will not survive any more.Kejriwal: Nobody has the courage to touch Ambani. I was the first CM to get an FIR filed against Ambani in Delhi, which was opposed by both Congress and BJP.