New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS): As AAP chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a new scheme 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana,' Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Monday questioned the timing of the scheme and motive behind it.
A fresh political controversy has emerged as Kejriwal launched the 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana' on Monday, offering Hindu and Sikh priests a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000. The announcement, made just days before the Assembly polls, has been met with strong criticism from BJP.
Speaking with IANS, Sachdeva questioned the timing of the scheme and Kejriwal's sudden interest in the welfare of pujaris and granthis.
He pointed out that Kejriwal's government had been providing salaries to various groups since 2013 but had never considered such a scheme for religious leaders (pujaris, granthis) before.
“Kejriwal has been giving salaries since 2013, so why did he not remember the pujaris and granthis earlier?” Sachdeva said.
He added, "The BJP has protested on the streets for their rights and even surrounded his house demanding that pujaris and granthis be given a monthly salary. But where was Kejriwal at that time?"
Sachdeva further accused Kejriwal of trying to win votes ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. “When the elections are near, Kejriwal is doing this. He is now targeting them because he thinks the maulvis won’t be enough. His ‘jhooth ka ghara’ is now exposed, and everyone now understands the reality,” he asserted.
The BJP President further claimed that once the BJP comes to power after the elections, they would ensure respect and proper treatment for religious leaders, including pujaris and granthis.
"When BJP is in power, we will treat them with the respect they deserve," Sachdeva promised.
Sachdeva also criticised the Delhi government's track record with promises, referring to the recent controversy surrounding Kejriwal's 'Delhi Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana.'
He asked, "How many schemes and registrations is Kejriwal promising? He has yet to deliver on any of them. Pujaris and granthis know these are just empty promises that will never be fulfilled."
Kejriwal, on the other hand, announced that the registration for the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana would begin on Tuesday. This comes after the launch of the Mahila Samman Yojana earlier this month, a scheme aimed at providing a Rs 2,100 per month stipend to unemployed women in Delhi.
However, the scheme faced a setback when the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department issued a notice clarifying that the 'Mahila Samman' scheme was 'non-existent' and urged residents not to share their personal data.