Congress protests Kejriwal's clergy salary plan, calls it exclusionary

Weeks after AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a monthly salary of Rs 18,000 for Hindu priests and Sikh granthis under the 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana,' the Congress has ramped up its criticism, accusing him of exclusionary politics ahead of the Delhi assembly elections.

The party demanded similar financial support for Buddhist monks and priests of Guru Ravidas and Valmiki temples.

Hundreds of Congress workers, led by senior leader Udit Raj, staged a protest outside Kejriwal's at Ferozshah Road residence in Delhi on Tuesday. Initially planned for Jantar Mantar, the demonstration was relocated after police denied permission. Delhi Police detained Udit Raj and several protesters, including Buddhist monks and priests, at Mandir Marg police station.

Expressing outrage, Udit Raj said, “The Delhi Police has detained hundreds, including monks, Valmiki priests, and Ravidas temple priests. No one is telling us when we will be released. This shows the government's apathy.”

The Delhi Congress took to social media to voice its dissent. In a post on X, the party stated: “Under Udit Raj's leadership, we planned a peaceful demonstration demanding Rs 18,000 monthly salary for Buddhist monks, and priests of Guru Ravidas and Valmiki temples. But the police, at the behest of the AAP government, suppressed our voices.”

The protest follows Kejriwal's 30 December announcement to financially support temple priests and Sikh granthis if AAP retains power in Delhi. Kejriwal launched the initiative at Kashmiri Gate's Hanuman temple, registering its mahant under the scheme. Similarly, Delhi chief minister Atishi visited Karol Bagh's Gurdwara Sahib to launch the scheme for granthis.

Defending the scheme, Kejriwal had said, "Priests and granthis have served our society selflessly as custodians of religious customs. It's time we took care of their financial well-being.”

However, the Congress argues that the policy is discriminatory. “Why exclude monks and priests from Dalit and minority communities? Kejriwal's scheme reeks of selective appeasement,” Delhi Congress said. The issue has sparked a larger debate about inclusivity in governance and the politicisation of religious policies ahead of the Delhi assembly elections on 5 February.