Kejriwal announces Rs 18,000 honorarium for priests and granthis, what BJP said? Why Imams are protesting?

Delhi Elections 2025: Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal announced the 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojanon Monday.

According to Arvind Kejriwal, the priests and granthis serving in Delhi's temples and gurudwaras will be given a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000 under this scheme.

Giving information about this announcement, Kejriwal said, "We go to temples, worship but we never pay attention to them. Today, to honor them through this scheme, we are announcing that if our government is formed, they will be given an honorarium of about Rs 18,000.

"I hope that the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress governments will also learn from this and implement such schemes to honor priests and granthis in their respective states."

He said, "Registration for this scheme will start from tomorrow. I will go to Hanuman temple in Connaught Place tomorrow and will register the priests there."

BJP slams AAP

However, BJP has said that if the Delhi government was giving money to the clerics till now, then why did they remember the priests at the time of elections?

On Arvind Kejriwal's announcement, BJP leader Prem Shukla said, "Why did they not give it till now? They have been giving it to the Maulanas for the last 10 years. Why did they remember the priests at the time of elections?"

Imams are protesting

Meanwhile, Imams of mosques are protesting outside the house of Arvind Kejriwal regarding their salaries.

They claim that they have not received their salaries for the last 17 months, due to which they are protesting outside Arvind Kejriwal's house today.

Sajid Rashidi, president of All India Imam Association, while talking to media, said, "It has been 17 months and we have not received our salaries. We have been trying continuously for the last 6 months."

He told that he has placed his demands before the Delhi CM and LG. He has also met many small and big officials.

Rashidi further said, "If these people do not meet us, then we will sit on a dharna and will not get up until we get our salary."

Prakash Kumar Pandey