The BJP on Tuesday slammed former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal for launching the ‘Pujari-Granthi Samman Yojana’ and dubbed Arvind Kejriwal “anti-Hindu”.

Kejriwal announced the launch of the ‘Pujari-Granthi Samman Yojana’ on Monday. Under this initiative, temple priests and gurdwara granthis in Delhi will receive a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 if AAP is voted back to power.

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Reacting to the AAP chief’s announcement, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, “Anti-Hindu Kejriwal is now making new promises ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Why is it happening? It is because Kejriwal knows that the false promises he has made have not been fulfilled and, his career is going to get over. That is why he is coming up with more fake promises.”

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Bhatia said, “Today, when he (Arvind Kejriwal) promises to give Rs 18,000 to pujaris and granthis, a question arises in my mind that it has not been long since AAP was in love with liquor mafias and was giving them contracts to open shops outside temples and gurdwaras. Kejriwal allowed liquor shops to open outside all the places that we consider auspicious.”

“Kejriwal is anti-development. He must learn from the BJP. We give our report card to people in the state that is going to hold assembly elections. He cannot even answer journalists,” the BJP leader added.

Bhatia further said, “The Aam Aadmi Party has indulged in cheap politics by exploiting Delhi’s children for political gains. This is utterly reprehensible.”

The BJP leader said that on December 30, 2024, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued an order stating that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi used videos of innocent children and dragged them into politics.

“This is an absolute violation of the Juvenile Justice Act,” Bhatia said.

The BJP national spokesperson said the NHRC noted that the X post by Delhi CM Atishi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had shared a video showing children directly involved in political activities for the party.

The commission has asked them to remove the video, but Kejriwal hasn’t complied yet, Bhatia added.

“Why is Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi involving innocent children and violating their dignity which is their fundamental right? They are violating Article 21 of the Constitution. Arvind Kejriwal is sure that he will lose the Delhi elections, that’s why he is desperate to do anything and everything,” the BJP national spokesperson said.

NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo on Monday directed social media platform ‘X’ to immediately remove an objectionable video showing the alleged involvement of children in political campaigning by AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi.

The NHRC member also drew the attention of CEC Rajiv Kumar to the issue and requested him to consider issuing guidelines to political parties to refrain from using children in political activities.