Will give free pilgrimage if voted in, says Arvind Kejriwal

The announcement of a free pilgrimage is the third in a list of ‘guaranteed’ promises that the AAP leader has offered the people of Goa after previously promising free, uninterrupted power supply and an unemployment allowance.

Ahead of the state polls due early next year, Aam Aadmi Party president and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday promised free pilgrimage to the four religious places-- Ayodhya, Shirdi, Velankanni and Ajmer Sharif -- if their party is voted to power in Goa.

Arvind Kejriwal also took on rival political parties, who he said were only interested in power games and not bothered about the issues facing the people of Goa. (ANI Photo)

“If we form the government we will facilitate an Ayodhya pilgrimage and opportunity for a darshan for Hindus. For the Christians, we will give a free Velankanni pilgrimage (in Tamil Nadu) and for the Muslims, we will give a free Ajmer Sharif pilgrimage (in Rajasthan). I’ve been told that for many people in Goa prefer a pilgrimage to Shirdi, so they will get a free pilgrimage to Shirdi (in Maharashtra),” Kejriwal said addressing a press conference in Goa

The announcement of a free pilgrimage is the third in a list of ‘guaranteed’ promises that the AAP leader has offered the people of Goa after previously promising free, uninterrupted power supply and an unemployment allowance. While Ayodhya and the shrine of Sai Baba in Shirdi are offered as options for Hindus, Christians are offered an opportunity to the Church of Our Lady at Velankanni in Tamil Nadu and a free trip to Ajmer sharif the tomb of revered Sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti, located in Rajasthan’s Ajmer is on offer for Muslims.

“I’m not promising anything new. Our pilgrimage scheme in Delhi has been going on for a few years now. Over the last two years it was stopped due to the pandemic. But prior to that 35,000 people took advantage of the scheme. People get a choice of where they want to go. Everything is paid for by the government,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal said that he was prompted to announce the scheme for Goa after he visited Ayodhya. On October 27, the Delhi government approved the inclusion of Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya in the Delhi government’s free pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens.

The Delhi chief minister also took on rival political parties, who he said were only interested in power games and not bothered about the issues facing the people of Goa. “We are making a whole plan for the development of Goa. But here they (other political parties) are talking about alliances. In the morning they say they will ally with one party. In the evening it is someone else. Is anyone even thinking about Goa? Every time I come to Goa I talk about mining, about land rights, about health, education, women programmes, industry, trade. We are making a plan for every sector that affects the people of Goa. Is anybody else doing this? Nobody is worried about Goa,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal was initially in talks with Goa’s Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party for a possible alliance, but the negotiations broke down. He, however, didn’t rule out an alliance ahead of the polls

Responding to Kejriwal’s poll promises, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Urfan Mulla said, “These are hollow promises given on the eve of Diwali much like the fireworks that explode with a bang but soon fizzle out.”

Congress spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar also attacked the AAP president and said, “There are so many issues of Goa that he could have spoken about instead he is here trying to lure people with the carrot of religion.”