JOIN USAAP takes Hindutva plunge, promises free Ram Temple visit to Delhites
Striving hard to make its presence felt in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, where elections are due in five months, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) has also turned to soft Hindutva to counter the BJP in the state with the announcement that it would provide 'free' Ram Temple visit for Delhi residents.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal made the announcement while speaking to reporters after paying obeisance at the makeshift Ram Temple at Ayodhya on Tuesday.
He said that the Delhi government has facilitated free pilgrimage to the people of the state, which included visits to Vaishno Devi, Shirdi, Haridwar, Rishikesh and other important religious places in the country. ''The Delhi government bears all expenses and the pilgrims do not have to pay anything,'' he added.
"Ram Temple will also be added to the list of the pilgrimage," the AAP leader said.
Kejriwal evaded a reply on being termed an ''accidental Hindu'' in some quarters and merely said that it did not matter to him. ''Religious places are open to all...anyone can go there,'' he added. He also did not reply when asked about his party's face in the UP assembly polls.
The AAP leader earlier visited the famous Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya and paid obeisance there. He performed a 'puja' there and was blessed by the priests of the temple.
Kejriwal had arrived here on Monday and had appeared in a district court in Sultanpur in connection with a case registered against him in 2014 pertaining to the violation of the model code of conduct. He was granted bail by the court but his application seeking quashing of the charges was rejected by the court.
AAP has decided to contest all the 403 assembly seats in the state and has already launched its election campaign. The party was also holding parleys with smaller, caste based outfits to arrive at some kind of electoral understanding.
Watch the latest DH Videos here: