NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 for temple and gurudwara priests (granthi) if his party comes back to power. Delhi will go to polls in February next year
Announcing the party’s ‘Pujari-Granthi Samman Yojana’, the AAP chief said that he would launch the scheme at Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place by registering the priests on Tuesday.
Highlighting the role of priests and granthis, Kejriwal said. “They (priests) are there for us in every moment of joy and sorrow. Whether it is a wedding, a birthday or any other joyous occasions, as well as in moments of grief like a death, priests are always by our side. For centuries they have carried forward our tradition and custom through the ‘guru-shishya’ tradition.”
Citing that the priests “preserve our values, rituals and cultural heritage,” Kejriwal said, “Sadly, we never acknowledge their contributions.”
He said that he didn’t want to call the honorarium an income or salary. “It is a token of respect. I am announcing that an honorarium of `18,000 per month will be provided to these individuals upon the formation of our government,” he said.
The AAP chief said, “This is happening for the first time in the country. No political party or government has ever taken such a step before. It is a pioneering step by the AAP.”
In the run-up to the elections, Kejriwal has been announcing a series of sops, including Rs 2,100 for women and free medical treatment for those above 60 years of age, if the AAP retains power. The L-G has ordered probe into the schemes announced by Kejriwal.