Kejriwal fails to launch scheme for priests from Hanuman Mandir; BJP calls it devotees’ wish

New Delhi, Dec 31 As angry priests foiled former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s attempt to launch the Pujari Granthi Samman Scheme’s registration from Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place on Tuesday, the BJP’s New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj said his “political opportunism” had been rejected and exposed.

Swaraj slammed Kejriwal’s “fundamentally wrong and self-serving” pre-poll announcement of paying a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 to priests of temples and gurdwaras and asked why church priests had been excluded from the proposal.

She also questioned why mosque maulvis had not been given the promised honorarium for the last 17 months.

Addressing the media within minutes of a foiled attempt by the former Chief Minister to launch the Pujari Granthi scheme’s registration from Hanuman Mandir, Swaraj said Kejriwal’s political opportunism had been exposed.

Denying that BJP workers prevented Kejriwal from launching the Pujari Granthi scheme’s registration, she said it was Hanuman devotees who pushed him out of the temple and stopped him from launching the deceitful proposal.

Facing resistance, Kejriwal later launched the scheme from Marghatwale Baba Mandir near Kashmere Gate ISBT, said the former CM in a social media post.

Calling the priest-granthi dole announcement a latest example of “Arvind’s Appeasement”, Swaraj questioned why Kejriwal thought of announcing the Pujari Granthi honorarium only at the fag end of the AAP government’s 10-year rule.

In a poetic criticism of Kejriwal, Swaraj said, “Vidyalaya ka kara vada, marudalaya ka jaal bichaya, chunav nikat aya to Kejriwal ko devalaya yaad aaya. (Kejriwal expanded a net of liquor vends after promising to build schools, now he is reminded of temples as the elections are approaching).”

Swaraj hit out at Kejriwal for making hollow announcements to appease pujaris and granthis.

“Why are you not getting a Cabinet proposal approved? Why are you making hollow promises?” she said and added that the BJP will oppose this hollow promise and misleading of the public.

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