On Tuesday morning, Connaught Place’s iconic Pracheen Hanuman Mandir was abuzz with devotees lining up to offer prayers on the last day of the year. The temple’s serene courtyard, however, soon became an unexpected stage for political drama.
By mid-morning, the temple courtyard was packed – not just with devotees, but also with supporters of AAP and BJP. What began as chants of ‘Jai Hanuman, Jai Shri Ram’ from AAP supporters, quickly escalated into a war of slogans, as BJP loyalists countered with ‘Gali gali mein shor hai, Kejriwal chor hai’.
The verbal jousting soon turned into heated arguments. “You people (BJP) demanded this scheme, and now you are criticising it? You have no spine,” shouted an AAP supporter. A BJP loyalist retorted, “We have been demanding this for 10 years. First, pay them the allowances worth all that time.”
A BJP supporter took on Kejriwal saying, “First, he used to appease Muslims, and now he is trying to woo Hindus.” An AAP supporter shot back, “The Waqf Board pays Islamic priests, not the Delhi government… Why? Does BJP have a copyright on Hindus?”
This continued for over two hours, with neither side backing down.
“…It is shameful to witness the heights to which political parties are willing to go when it comes to gaining votes,” said Sanaina Joshi, who had come to offer prayers. Ishani Rajput, who was visiting the temple along with her son, added, “I am on my Tuesday fast, it is a long line because it’s also the end of the year… They should have chosen some other day to do this…”
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Amid all this, the news broke that Kejriwal has changed his plans. Instead of launching the scheme at Pracheen Hanuman Mandir, he is now going to Marghat Baba Temple near Kashmere Gate ISBT.
Kejriwal later posted on X, “Today I visited Marghat Baba’s temple and launched the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana. Today is the birthday of Mahant Ji here, and I celebrated with him. BJP tried its best to stop the registration today, but no one can stop a devotee from meeting his God.”
In a statement to the press, the AAP claimed that pujaris from 21 temples in Jangpura recited the Sundarkand, invoking “divine blessings” for Kejriwal’s return as CM. Chief Minister Atishi said, “Pujaris and granthis are with us through life’s joys and sorrows. It is the government’s duty to care for them, which is why this scheme was launched.”
While former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and his supportgers gathered at the Shiv Mandir in Kilokari village to visit priests of 21 temples in the Jangpura Assembly constituency, from where he will contest the 2025 polls, Atishi visited a gurdwara located in Karol Bagh to launch the scheme.
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Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva dismissed the initiative as mere election theatrics. “Delhi’s priests know well that BJP is their own pious party, always standing by them in times of joy and sorrow. It is the only party that will truly respect them and their families.”
Atishi hit back, saying, “Since the announcement of this Rs 18,000 monthly honorarium for pujaris and granthis, the BJP has been rattled. Despite ruling in 20 states and claiming to champion Hindu interests, it has never implemented such a scheme.”
Saman Husain is a Correspondent at The Indian Express. Based in New Delhi, she is an emerging voice in political journalism, reporting on civic governance, elections, migration, and the social consequences of policy, with a focus on ground-reporting across Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh.
Professional Profile
Education:
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science (Honours) from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi, and is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai.
Core Beats:
Her reporting focuses on the national capital’s governance and politics. She specializes in Delhi’s civic administration and the city units of the BJP, AAP and Congress. In western Uttar Pradesh, she mostly reports on crime.
Specialization:
She has a keen interest in electoral processes and politics — her recent contributions include work on electoral roll revisions.
Recent Notable Articles (since July 2025)
Her recent work reflects a strong show-not-tell approach to storytelling, combining narrative reporting with political and historical context:
1. Politics:
“On the banks of the Yamuna, a political tussle for Purvanchali support” (October 6): A report on how migration histories shaped electoral strategies in Delhi before the Bihar elections.
“Explained: How Delhi’s natural drainage vanished gradually over the centuries” (September 29): An explanatory piece tracing the historical reasons that eventually led to the erosion of Delhi’s rivers and its impact on perrenial flooding.
2. Longforms
“Four weddings, three funerals: How a Uttar Pradesh man swindled insurance companies” (October 7): A long-read reconstructing a chilling fraud by a man who killed three of his family members, including both his parents for insurance proceeds. His fourth wife discovered his fraud…
“How Ghaziabad conman operated fake embassy of a country that doesn’t exist — for 9 years” (July 27) : A story on bizarre fraud operation and the institutional blind spots that enabled it.
3. Crime and Justice:
“He was 8 when his father was killed. Fifteen years later, in UP’s Shamli, he took revenge” (October 18): A deeply reported crime story tracing cycles of violence, memory and justice in rural Uttar Pradesh.
“Who killed 19 girls in Nithari? With the SC rejecting appeals, there are no answers and no closure” (July 31): A report capturing the long legal and emotional aftermath of one of India’s most chilling unsolved criminal cases.
4. Policy Impact
“At Manthan, over US tariffs, Delhi-NCR’s apparel industry brainstorms solutions” (September 8) and “Trump’s 50% tariff begins to bite: Agra’s leather belt feels the impact” (August 13) : Reports documenting how global trade decisions ripple through local industries, workers and exporters.
Signature Style
Saman is recognized for her grassroots storytelling. Her articles often focus on the "people behind the policy". She is particularly skilled at taking mundane administrative processes and turning them into compelling human narratives.
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