Pious Hindus descend in droves on Varanasi to see the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Turn the corner towards the west of the ancient temple, and grim barricades with visibly edgy policemen, follow you with their eyes.
The first call to prayer floats out of the dainty, whitewashed mosque, infusing the cold morning air of Banaras. Wrapped in a blanket and a coarsely knitted cap, Bechan Yadav sits near the entrance of the dargah, a Muslim shrine, enjoying the warmth of a dying fire of twigs and branches. Bechan, a devout Hindu popularly called Bechan Baba, is.
The delay in receiving their dues has burdened many farmers with debt. Farmers say though the Adityanath government made some last-minute moves to release the payment, the problem is perpetual.