Muslim Leaders Criticize AAP Government Over New Priest Assistance Program

New Delhi, Jan 1 (NationPress) Unfazed by the backlash regarding the Mahila Samman Yojana, AAP leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has unveiled yet another financial assistance initiative, this time aimed at temple and gurdwara priests who will receive Rs 18,000 per month. The political confrontation involving AAP, BJP, and Congress over this program is anticipated to persist as the Assembly elections are set to occur in Delhi this February.

Criticizing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government for introducing the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana in the capital with the intent of swaying Hindu and Sikh voters for electoral purposes, the All India Imam Association Chairman Maulana Sajid Rashidi stated, "This is an election stunt. They (AAP) have done this for the elections. The fact is, the Muslim community in Delhi had already supported Arvind Kejriwal, feeling disillusioned with Congress and lacking alternatives, which is why they voted for him extensively... This contributed to AAP's victories in the 2015 and 2020 Delhi Assembly elections."

Rashidi continued, "As the upcoming Assembly elections approach, it is projected that the Muslim community may shift its support from AAP to Congress. Hence, the AAP has announced the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana to attract the Hindu and Sikh vote bank in Delhi. Previously, AAP introduced the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana for women in the city, which was eventually deemed 'non-existent' by Delhi's Women and Child Development Department. AAP initially proposed a monthly aid of Rs 1,000 for women in the national capital, which was subsequently raised to Rs 2,100. If AAP believed this was a viable step, they should have first secured approval for this scheme in the Assembly before making the official announcement.

He also emphasized that if the AAP government genuinely cared about the welfare of Pujaris and Granthis, they should have enacted the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana in the Assembly beforehand and allocated a budget for it before the public announcement.

"The AAP has not acted on this scheme until now, and they claim that if they regain power in Delhi, they will implement it. However, even if AAP returns to power, the execution of this scheme remains uncertain. The implication of this scheme is that as long as the state government has funds, it will provide allowances to pujaris and granthis, which can be halted whenever the government decides. Pujaris and granthis should realize that this scheme will not guarantee their monthly salaries or dues, similar to the situation faced by Imams who have not received payments from the Delhi government for several years."

Regarding the AAP government's Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana, Maulana Arshad Nadvi remarked, "We appreciate the announcement made by Arvind Kejriwal yesterday. However, we do not accept the Rs 18,000 figure as it does not adequately compensate priests of temples, granthis of gurdwaras, or imams of mosques... This amount is quite insufficient compared to labor workers who earn between Rs 18,000 and Rs 24,000 monthly. Simply providing Rs 18,000 per month as promised by the AAP government is an insult to Imams, pujaris, granthis, priests, etc. For every religious and auspicious event, individuals require pujaris, imams, or granthis to perform rituals, whether associated with birth, death, or holy occasions. The Arvind Kejriwal government has announced this scheme, which is a positive move, but it must not remain merely a promise on paper. This program has only been introduced now by the AAP government after it was first proposed for Imams in mosques."