Congress’s Commitment to Inclusive Pilgrimage for Buddhists in Response to AAP’s Free Yatra for Seniors
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Synopsis
On January 25, Congress announced plans to launch a comprehensive ‘tirth yatra’ for senior citizens, aiming to include Buddhists and marginalized communities. This move comes as a critique of the AAP's current pilgrimage scheme, which has faced allegations of bias.
Key Takeaways
- Congress vows to implement an inclusive ‘tirth yatra’ for seniors.
- Benefits will extend to Buddhists, Dalits, and marginalized groups.
- Criticism of AAP for limiting pilgrimage options.
- Focus on significant religious sites for free pilgrimages.
- Increased emphasis on equality and non-discrimination.
New Delhi, Jan 25 (NationPress) Congress has pledged to introduce a comprehensive ‘tirth yatra’ for senior citizens if it regains power, ensuring that benefits extend to all communities, including Dalits, the underprivileged, and marginalized groups. The party criticized the current AAP administration for giving the scheme a ‘Hindu character’.
During a press briefing, senior leader Udit Raj stated that if Congress is elected, it will broaden the scope of the free pilgrimage initiative to include Buddhists, allowing them to benefit from the financial assistance provided.
He remarked, “The AAP government organizes pilgrimages for individuals over 60 at its cost, yet there is no equivalent scheme for Buddhists? Kejriwal has shown bias, but the Congress party is committed to equality.”
In further comments to IANS, he criticized the AAP for limiting the elderly pilgrimage to selected Hindu temples, excluding other sites rich in cultural and historical value.
“Why did the Kejriwal administration create a pilgrimage initiative that only includes thirty sacred sites such as Vaishno Devi, Tirupati, Balaji, Shirdi, and Ayodhya?” he questioned.
Advocating for Rahul’s stance on caste census and equal rights, he emphasized that a Congress-led government would ensure that Buddhists, Dalits, and all disadvantaged individuals receive the benefits of free pilgrimage.
“For the Bahujan Samaj, we intend to offer free pilgrimage to significant religious destinations like Shri Sarnath, Lumbini, Gaya, Mahu, Chaitya Bhoomi, and Ravidas Sthal,” he conveyed to IANS.
It is noteworthy that the AAP leader has been touting the free pilgrimage for seniors as a major achievement, cautioning that a ‘wrong’ button press could jeopardize the program.
The Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana was initiated by the Kejriwal government in 2019 to facilitate free pilgrimages for the elderly. Under this initiative, senior citizens are taken on spiritual journeys to various holy sites, with expenses covered by the state government.
Recently, Udit Raj protested outside the AAP chief's residence alongside Buddhist followers, questioning why the monks and priests of Ravidas and Valmiki temples were excluded from the ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana’, introduced by the Delhi government last month.
