The Delhi BJP on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of being a "chunavi Hindu" (Hindu for election purposes) after he promised Rs 18,000 every month to temple priests and gurdwara granthis in the run-up to assembly polls.
Taking to X, the Delhi BJP shared a poster mocking Kejriwal, portraying him with rudraksha beads, flower garlands, and vermilion covering his body, while incense sticks were tucked behind his ears.
The poster was emblazoned with a jeering verse: "Mandir jana hai bas mere liye ek chalaava, pujariyon ka samman bas mera chunavi dikhava, sanatan dharma ka maine humesh mazak banaya (Visiting temples for me is a cunning guise, respect for priests is an election façade, I've always ridiculed Sanatana Dharma)."
In the tweet, the Delhi BJP said, "The man who has been busy providing salaries to imams for the past 10 years, who opposed the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, who opened liquor shops near temples and gurdwaras, and who practices anti-Hindu politics, has suddenly started showing concern for priests and granthis."
At a press conference on Tuesday, Kejriwal announced the Pujari Granthi Samman Rashi Scheme, describing it as a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at supporting temple and gurdwara staff.
"Pujaris and granthis are an important part of our society, but they are often a neglected section. For the first time in the country, we are introducing a scheme to support them, under which they will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000," Kejriwal said. He added that registration for the scheme would begin Tuesday.
This is AAP's fifth major poll promise, following announcements of welfare schemes targeting women, Dalits, and senior citizens, as well as a promise to provide round-the-clock water supply.
However, the announcement drew sharp criticism from both the BJP and the Congress. Delhi BJP chief Veerendra Sachdeva called it a "political stunt," accusing Kejriwal of desperation.
"He is now a defeated and desperate leader who is making populist announcements daily to stay in power," Sachdeva said.
Former Delhi MP Parvesh Verma also lashed out at the former Delhi Chief Minister, alleging that AAP's focus on priests and granthis is insincere.
"For the last 10 years, he has been giving salaries to maulvis and their assistants, spending around Rs 100 crore of taxpayers' money on clerics. Now, with elections approaching, he has suddenly remembered temple priests and granthis," Verma said.
Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav accused Kejriwal of using "desperate attempts to shine his tainted image" through freebies aimed at voters. "These announcements are nothing but trickery to influence voters ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections," Yadav said.
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