�New Delhi: As Delhi gears up for the 2025 Assembly elections, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, along with his wife Sunita Kejriwal, on Tuesday launched the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana by registering the priests of Marghat Wale Baba temple near Kashmiri Gate ISBT for the benefits. Under the scheme, the Hindu temple priests and granthis of Gurudwaras will be paid a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 if the AAP returns to power.
Separately, Delhi chief minister Atishi visited Gurudwara Sahib in Karol Bagh and registered granthis for the AAP government's recently announced monthly honorarium. She said it is the government's duty to take care of them and so the scheme is launched.
Announcing the launch of the scheme, Mr Kejriwal, in a post on X, said, “Today I visited Marghat Baba's temple (near Kashmiri Gate ISBT) and launched the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana. Today is the birthday of Mahant Ji here. I also celebrated his birthday with him. The BJP tried its best to stop the registration today. But no one can stop a devotee from meeting his God.”
Responding to the BJP’s criticism over the announcement of the scheme, the AAP chief pointed out that the saffron party holds power in 20 states and has been in control of Gujarat for 30 years and asked why it had not shown respect for priests and granthis in those states during that time.
“Since the announcement of the Pujari-Granthi Samman Yojana, the BJP leaders have been hurling abuses at me. My question to them is: Will abusing me benefit the nation? Your party governs 20 states, including Gujarat, where you’ve ruled for 30 years. Why haven’t you honored pujaris and granthis there? Start now—I’ve shown you the way. Instead of abusing me, implement this scheme across your states so that everyone benefits,” said Mr Kejriwal said in another post on X.
Speaking at the registration event, Ms Atishi said, “Today marks the beginning of registrations under this scheme. Mr Kejriwal started the process at the Marghat Wale Baba Hanuman Temple, while registrations for granthis began at Karol Bagh’s Gurudwara Sant Sujan Singh Maharaj.”
The Delhi CM added: “During registration, the granthis blessed Mr Kejriwal and me, saying this is the first time since Maharaja Ranjit Singh that a government has thought of granthis. Pujaris and granthis are with us through life’s joys and sorrows. It is the government’s duty to care for them, which is why this scheme was launched. When the AAP government is re-elected in Delhi, every pujari and granthi will receive `18,000 as a monthly honorarium."
