Delhi: Kejriwal Promises Rs 18,000 Monthly To Pujaris And Sikh Granthis Amid Imams Protesting Over Unpaid Salaries

On Monday (30 December), Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), made his fifth promise in the run-up to the Delhi assembly elections. He announced the Pujari Granthi Samman Rashi Scheme, targeting the Pandit and Sikh electorate.

In this plan, the AAP has committed to providing a monthly stipend of Rs 18,000 to all pandits and pujaris employed in temples, as well as granthis in citywide gurdwaras, should the party be re-elected.

So far, the AAP has unveiled four social welfare initiatives aimed at distinct voter groups, such as women, Dalits, and the elderly. Their most recent program is geared towards Pandit and Sikh voters, who make up approximately 20 per cent of the voting population.

Kejriwal, however, did not specify whether the plan would extend to church priests, as per Indian Express. The Delhi Government already operates a programme for imams, providing them with a monthly assistance of Rs 18,000, as of 2019.

“These are people who have been serving God for generations and they have been taking forward our culture, tradition and rituals for decades. They work at the temple and pray for us. They never think about themselves or their family, they just devote themselves to God and work to keep our traditions and culture alive. So, I will not call this amount a salary but it is our respect towards them,” the former Delhi Chief Minister said.

Kejriwal declared that the AAP is the pioneer in the nation to introduce such programs for pandits and granthis. He emphasised that no other party in the country has yet implemented such a scheme. He announced that the registration process for the scheme will commence at the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place on Tuesday.

Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to halt the registration for their other programs, and appealed to the party not to interfere with the registration of pandits and granthis.

“The BJP’s people tried to stop the registration for other schemes such as Mahila Samman Rashi and Sanjeevani Yojana through the police and other means. I hope they don’t interfere in this because this is a scheme for priests who are considered a bridge between humans and God. It would be a big sin to do so. They (BJP) have already sinned a lot, but don’t try to stop such an auspicious scheme,” he said.

The crucial elections are scheduled to take place in February 2025.

At the same time as Kejriwal was unveiling the newest plan, imams affiliated with the Waqf Board were staging a demonstration outside his home, calling for their wages to be paid.

All India Imam Association chairman Sajid Rashidi said, "It has been 17 months since the government released salaries. We have reminded the government, met the Chief Minister, Lieutenant Governor and other officers to release the payment… If they don’t release our salaries now, we will sit on an indefinite protest."