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Another false poll promise: BJP on Kejriwal's salary scheme for Hindu, Sikh priests

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Shailesh Khanduri
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Vishnu Mittal

Vishnu Mittal

New Delhi: Delhi BJP general secretary Vishnu Mittal on Tuesday slammed Aam Aadmi Party chief Kejriwal calling his 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana' as yet another new announcement of false election promises.

The ‘scheme’ promises to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000 to Hindu temple priests and Sikh granthis.

“Those who were opposing the construction of Ram Mandir till yesterday have now come to offer the salaries of the temple priests. But this time the public is not going to fall prey to false claims,” Mittal said in a hard-hitting post in Hindi on X.

Earlier today, Kejriwal said he would himself kickstart the scheme at the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place. 

“CM Aatishi will initiate registration for Sikh granthis at a Gurudwara in Karol Bagh,” Kejriwal said. 

Shoaib Jamai, the Delhi president of AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) accused Kejriwal of ignoring the plight of Muslim Imams and Moazzins in Delhi, who have not received their salaries for the past 17 months. 

Jamai stated, "Arvind Kejriwal has announced that he will give 18,000 rupees as salary to the priests of our Hindu religion, which we have no objection to. However, at a time when all the Imams and Moazzins of Delhi are protesting because they have not received any salary for the past seventeen months, you are ignoring this issue and making such an announcement. This is very shameful, and it is a slap on the face of Muslims, who were once claimed to be represented by the so-called saviours of Muslims in Delhi."

Earlier on Monday, All India Imam Association chief Sajid Rashidi said that he would meet the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to push for the payment of their salaries. He claimed that imams haven't received their salaries since the past 17 months. 

Protesting outside Kejriwal’s residence, he further said that they have met Delhi CM Atishi, the LG as well as senior and junior officers for the same. 

"If they do not give us our answers now, we will sit on a protest here and not get up till we get our salaries," Rashidi said.

Arvind Kejriwal Maulana Salaries paid to imams Vishnu Mittal Delhi Assembly polls BJP Atishi Delhi elections Delhi assembly elections