Raman largesse to Kailash pilgrims

The tourism department has been made the nodal agency for the scheme and has already received several applications from pilgrims who undertook the journey last year. The government will also launch a drive to make more people aware of this. Tourism and Revenue Minister BM Agrawal said the state government had studied the Gujarat model for offering incentives to Hindu pilgrims before passing a legislation last year. “We will begin disbursement of money in the next few days with distribution of first seven cheques by the end of this week,” Agrawal said.

Welcoming the scheme, former chief minister Ajit Jogi said: “Such plans should also be implemented for other minority communities.” The move has divided the Congress with its senior leaders pulling in different directions on the issue.

A section of the state Congress has termed the move as one aimed at implementing the Sangh’s agenda in the state. Leader of the Opposition in Chhattisgarh Assembly Mahendra Karma said the government was trying to implement the Sangh’s hidden agenda. “They should not play such politics, which could polarise the population on religious lines,” he added.

Interestingly, Congress MLA from Abhanpur Dhanendra Sahu has also sought assistance under the scheme. He said such issues should not be politicised and “he didn’t see anything wrong in seeking assistance for religious travel.” On being told about Sahu, Karma refused to comment.

Agrawal, however, refuted claims that the plan was aimed at appeasing a particular community and said there wasn’t any plan by the government to introduce subsidised religious travel schemes for other minority communities.