Arvind Kejriwal Announces Free Ayodhya Ram Temple Visit For Delhi's Elderly

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced facilitating free pilgrimage for Delhi's senior citizens to the Ram temple in Ayodhya and asserted that his government follows 10 principles inspired by the concept of ''Ram Rajya'' to the serve the people.

The 10 principles listed by him are providing food, education, medical care, electricity, water, employment, housing, security for women and honouring the elderly.

Mr Kejriwal's announcement about the pilgrimage came a day after his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government presented a Rs 69,000-crore budget themed on "patriotism" under which installation of 500 flag masts and programmes on the lives of freedom fighters are planned across the city. It also announced a "deshbhakti curriculum".

The AAP dispensation already has a ''Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana'' that allows senior citizens from Delhi to undertake a free pilgrimage. All expenses related to travel, food and accommodation are borne by the Delhi government.

Addressing the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday, Mr Kejriwal took potshots at the Yogi Adityanath government over the alleged deteriorating condition of government-run schools in Uttar Pradesh.

He said that he saw on social media a video of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inspecting a school in "Manish Sisodia-style". "I am happy that chief ministers and ministers are visiting schools now," Mr Kejriwal said.

The Delhi chief minister said his deputy, Mr Sisodia, went to Lucknow recently to inspect an Uttar Pradesh government-run schools after a minister of the state "challenged" him. "But the minister chickened out and the UP Police stopped Mr Sisodia from inspecting the schools himself."

"I am a devotee of Lord Ram and Hanuman. We have been following 10 principles inspired by the concept of ''Ram Rajya'' to serve the people of Delhi," Mr Kejriwal said during a discussion on the address to the House by the Lieutenant Governor earlier this week.

"We have taken many steps to honour our elderly, the most important being sending them on free pilgrimages. I want to tell all senior citizens in Delhi that I will send you to Ram temple in Ayodhya once the construction work is completed."

The construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is expected to be completed in 36-40 months.

Elaborating on the 10 principles listed by him, the chief minister said no one should sleep on an empty stomach in Delhi.

"Every child, irrespective of the social status, should get quality education and every person should get the best possible medical treatment," he said.

The Delhi government has been providing free drinking water up to 20,000 litres to each household, Mr Kejriwal said, adding, "We give free electricity up to 200 units to everyone. Delhi is the only city in the world where people get round-the-clock free power supply."

The AAP government has taken a number of steps to generate employment, provide housing facilities to the poor and ensure women safety, the chief minister said.

The work done in the education sector in Delhi in the last six years is being seen as a "revolution", he asserted.

Mr Kejriwal also appealed to all residents of Delhi to participate in the COVID-19 vaccination drive and said the members of the Delhi Assembly should go to hospitals, stand in queue and take vaccine just like common people.

The Delhi government on Tuesday announced in its annual budget that the COVID-19 vaccine would be administered to the people free-of-cost at its hospitals in future phases of the inoculation drive.

Currently, vaccination at the hospitals run by the Centre and the Delhi government is free for senior citizens and those in the 45-59 age group with comorbidities, while Rs 250 is being charged at private hospitals.