BJP takes dig at Kejriwal over promise of Rs 18,000 to priests

PTI, Jan 1, 2025, 5:01 PM IST

kejriwal (pti/file)

New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday took a swipe at Arvind Kejriwal calling him a “bagula bhagat” (pretentious devotee) over his pre-poll promise of giving a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 to priests of temples and granthis of gurudwaras.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed that Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) exemplifies “unreliability” in Indian politics, adding that the people of Delhi have understood its “antics.” He alleged that the AAP, which emerged with the promise of bringing change to the country’s politics, has lost its “credibility” as it continues to pursue “the same old Congress politics.” There was no immediate response from the AAP to the BJP’s charge.

Asked about Kejriwal’s pre-poll promise of providing an honorarium of Rs 18,000 to priests of temples and granthis of gurudwaras, Trivedi wondered why he is making such an announcement instead of implementing it right away, when his party is still in power in Delhi.

“You must have heard about ‘bagula bhagat’. There is a ‘bhakt’ (devotee) and there is a ‘bagula bhagat’ (pretentious devotee)… He must implement it,” he told reporters.

Trivedi further questioned why Kejriwal, who once opposed temples and the Ram temple, is now filling out forms for the registration of prospective beneficiaries of the scheme.

“They should implement it. You (AAP) are still in power, not a party aspiring for power,” Trivedi said.

The BJP leader further listed 10 alleged failures of the AAP government during its term in Delhi, claiming that it failed to fulfill its promises, which included freeing the city from unsafe hanging electric wires, providing round-the-clock clean drinking water and creating a world-class education system.

He alleged that the AAP government also failed to deliver on Kejriwal’s promise of a pollution-free environment in Delhi, a clean Yamuna river, improved healthcare, removal of garbage piles, women’s safety, basic amenities for colonies and permanent pucca houses for people living in slums.

“They didn’t do these things. AAP convenor Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and others from the party have been arrested in connection with various corruption cases,” the BJP leader said.

Trivedi further remarked, “This is not new politics, but the same old Congress politics” that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has been pursuing.

“There was a super PM during the Congress-led UPA regime; here we have a super CM in the AAP government,” he said, in an apparent reference to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi.