Big Announcement by Kejriwal: Priests and Granthis to Receive ₹18,000 Monthly Allowance if AAP Forms Government

New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal, the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced the launch of the ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana’ on Monday. Under this scheme, he promised that if his party is re-elected in Delhi, priests of Hindu temples and granthis of Sikh gurudwaras will receive a monthly allowance of ₹18,000.

Kejriwal, who is aiming to win a fourth consecutive term for AAP in the Delhi Assembly elections, said during a press conference that registration for the scheme will begin tomorrow. “Tomorrow, I will officially launch this initiative at the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place. After that, it will be extended to all temples and gurudwaras across Delhi,” he added. This announcement comes at a time when AAP is preparing to compete with BJP and Congress in the upcoming elections. Kejriwal also urged both parties to adopt similar welfare measures in other states.

He stated, “We know how priests serve us. Whether it’s our child’s birthday, a wedding, or the death of a loved one, they have always connected us with God. This is a community that has carried forward our traditions and customs for generations, but no one has paid adequate attention to them. This is happening for the first time in the country. We have done several such things in the national capital that have never been done before. We have improved schools and hospitals and provided bus travel facilities for women. I hope that BJP and Congress will learn from this and implement similar schemes in the states where they are in power.”

In response to a question regarding the Rohingya issue, Kejriwal said that Central Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has complete data on this matter, and it would be good if he made it public.

It is notable that while Kejriwal was making this announcement, imams associated with the Delhi Waqf Board were protesting outside his residence demanding overdue salaries. The All India Imam Association claimed that imams have not been paid for 17 months and accused the Delhi government of ignoring their plight.

However, when asked about the payment of imams’ salaries, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi stated that their salaries would be released soon.