Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav attacked the BJP government over the partial demolition of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan’s house in Varanasi, alleging a political disregard for India's artistic heritage.Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday slammed the BJP over the demolition of a portion of shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan’s house in Varanasi, calling it an attack on the country’s shared legacy.In a post on X, Yadav called the BJP and its allies “orthodox conservatives with a narrow mindset” and said destroying the legacy of a Bharat Ratna awardee amounted to dishonouring the country.जिनके लिए शहनाई नहीं बजी, उनसे और क्या उम्मीद करना?भाजपा और उनके संकीर्ण सोच के संगी-साथी ‘कला और कलाकारों’ के हमेशा ख़िलाफ़ रहते हैं क्योंकि इन पुरातनपंथी-रूढ़िवादियों की ये संकरी मानसिकता होती है कि रचनात्मक लोग ही समाज में परिवर्तन की भूमि और भूमिका बनाते हैं। सकारात्मक कला सहृदयता को जन्म देती है और सहनशीलता को भी। इसीलिए कला के हर रूप को ये अपने एजेंडे के रास्ते में रोड़ा मानते हैं या फिर कला को अपने एजेंडे के लिए इस्तेमाल करके उसको नकारात्मक बना देना चाहते हैं।जिनके आगे ‘भारत रत्न’ लगा हो उनकी मिलीजुली विरासत को ध्वस्त करना, उनके मान-सम्मान के साथ-साथ ‘भारत’ के मान को भी ध्वस्त करने के समान है।भाजपा नफ़रत की आग में जलकर देश को नुक़सान पहुँचा रही है।सरकार में आने पर हम ‘भारत रत्न बिस्मिल्लाह ख़ान’ जी की सांगीतिक धरोहर को बचाने के लिए ‘श्रवण-संग्रहालय’ बनाएंगेघोर निंदनीय!— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) November 7, 2026Soon after the SP leader’s social media post, Varanasi Municipal Corporation officials denied any role in the demolition, saying the late musician’s family had carried it out on its own after turning down the civic body’s offer to set up a museum at the site.Family members of Bismillah Khan also rejected Yadav’s claims.Rejecting Yadav’s claim, the VMC said discussions were held with Bismillah Khan’s family regarding the establishment of a museum at his residence, as the corporation has initiated a project to honour the city’s eminent personalities.“However, the family did not give their consent to this proposal,” VMC Public Relations Officer Sandeep Srivastava said. Consequently, the building was demolished by the family. As the municipal corporation did not receive consent for the project, it could not develop the museum, nor did it play any role in the demolition process, he added.Chowk police station SHO Vijay Kumar Shukla confirmed that the property owner carried out the demolition independently. Police noted that the VMC had previously issued a notice regarding the building’s poor structural condition. Shukla added that an internal dispute among family members regarding certain portions of the property had been resolved at the police station, allowing the owner to proceed with the work.Mohammad Sibtain, the grandson of Bismillah Khan said that the 90-year-old structure was extremely dilapidated and demolished with the full consent of the family. He stated that the family is receiving complete support from the administration without any political interference. Sibtain further clarified that a museum dedicated to preserving items associated with the shehnai maestro will be established on the first floor of the newly reconstructed building.