Congress promises free 'tirth yatra' to Buddhist sites if wins Delhi polls

Congress on Saturday announced free 'tirth yatra' for Buddhist places if the party is elected in Delhi in the upcoming assembly polls.

During a press conference, former Delhi MP Udit Raj said there were no schemes for Buddhist pilgrimages, which the Congress would change if it formed the government.

The Delhi government organises pilgrimage for Tirupati, Ayodhya, Vaishno Devi, Balaji for senior citizens at its own expense, Raj said.

"So why are there no pilgrimage schemes for the Buddhist places like Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Lumbini, Deekshaboomi, Mhow etc.," he asked.

If our government comes, we will not discriminate and will provide free pilgrimage for them also, Raj stated.

The 'Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana' was launched by the AAP government in 2019 to aid the elderly in visiting pilgrimage sites across the country.

Under the scheme, the Delhi government organises free pilgrimage travel for the elderly to 15 places of various religious faiths, including Ayodhya, Dwarkadheesh, Puri, Varanasi, Maa Vaishno Devi Dham, Ajmer Sharif, Rameshwaram, Shirdi, Tirupati Balaji and Amritsar.

At the press conference, Raj said the Congress had earlier held a protest outside the residence of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, asking why he did not announce Rs 18,000 salary to Buddhist monks and priests of Ravidas and Valmiki temples.

On December 30, Kejriwal announced that the AAP would give a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 to temple priests and gurdwara granthis under the 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana' if it returns to power in Delhi in the upcoming elections.

Congress leaders, including Raj, staged a protest near Kejriwal's residence on Monday, demanding a monthly salary for Buddhist monks and priests of Guru Ravidas and Lord Valmiki temples.

We have a partial victory because Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath supported our issue in a public meeting at Kirari here, Raj said at the press conference.

Voting for the Delhi Assembly polls will be held on February 5 and results will be declared on February 8.