Congress leader Udit Raj, priests protest near Kejriwal's residence over honorarium demand

New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Former Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Udit Raj, along with several priests staged a protest on Monday near the residence of Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal's residence demanding a monthly salary for Buddhist monks and priests of Guru Ravidas and Lord Valmiki temples.

The protesters alleged that the protest was scheduled at Jantar Mantar, but police did not allow the gathering.

They said Kejriwal has announced salary for granthis and Hindu priests, but why not for Buddhist monks, priets of Valmiki, Guru Ravidas and even the Church? "Under the leadership of Udit Raj, a protest was scheduled at Jantar Mantar for a monthly salary of Rs 18,000 for Buddhist monks, priests of Guru Ravidas and Lord Valmiki, but the police did not allow the gathering," a protester claimed.

The protesters further said that they rescheduled the demonstration near Kejriwal's residence at Ferozshah Road.

On Sunday, Raj accused Kejriwal of being "anti-Dalit", saying that while his party announced a scheme to provide a monthly honorarium to temple priests and gurdwara granthis, it left out priests of Valmiki and Ravidas temples.

On Monday, 'bhikshus' and priests of Valmiki and Ravidas temples will protest against the AAP to demand that they be covered under the party's proposed scheme, the former MP had said.

On December 30, Kejriwal announced that the AAP would give a a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 to temple priests and gurdwara granthis under the 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana' if it returns to power in Delhi in the upcoming assembly polls. PTI NIT OZ OZ