BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Thursday, 18 June 2026, took to X to mark 12 years of the Modi government, asserting that the period has been defined not only by physical development but also by a deliberate effort to preserve and promote India's cultural heritage. Thakur, the Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh and former Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, framed the milestone under the slogan 'Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi' — 'Development as well as Heritage'.

Context

In his post, Thakur wrote that over the past 12 years, the government has worked to 'not only achieve development but also to safeguard heritage.' He noted that during this decade, 'hamare teerth ka punaruddhaar hua, sanskritik sthalon ko naya vaibhav mila, aur hamari sanskriti va paramparaen vishwa star par vistaar payin' — 'our pilgrimage sites were rejuvenated, cultural sites gained new grandeur, and our culture and traditions found global expansion.' The post carried the hashtag #12YearsOfVikasBhiVirasatBhi, part of a coordinated BJP campaign marking the anniversary of the Narendra Modi-led government that came to power in May 2014.

Policy Backdrop

The claim of heritage revival rests on a set of centrally sponsored initiatives launched from 2014-15 onwards. The PRASAD scheme (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) was introduced to upgrade infrastructure at major religious destinations, while the Swadesh Darshan scheme created thematic tourism circuits encompassing heritage and spiritual corridors. A flagship outcome of this policy track was the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi, inaugurated in 2021, which linked the ancient temple complex with the riverfront ghats through a large-scale urban redevelopment project.

On the global cultural front, India's push for the International Day of Yoga — adopted by the United Nations in 2014 and observed annually since 2015 — has been cited by the government as evidence of Indian traditions gaining international recognition. These initiatives collectively reflect a policy approach that positions religious tourism as an economic driver alongside cultural soft power projection.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of these schemes have been pilgrims, heritage tourists, and state tourism departments, which receive central funding for site development and connectivity upgrades. High-visibility projects have concentrated on prominent Hindu pilgrimage centres, integrating them with broader urban infrastructure and transport links. The approach has drawn both appreciation from cultural and religious communities and scrutiny from critics who argue the focus has been selective.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the progress of additional corridor projects at sites including Ayodhya and other pilgrimage towns, as well as budget allocations for the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in the coming fiscal year. The BJP's 12-year anniversary messaging, anchored in the 'Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi' frame, signals that cultural heritage will remain a central political and policy theme for the party heading into future electoral cycles.