By Archana Sharma
Jaipur, May 19 (IANS) The Gehlot government seems to be going all out to cash in on the Hindutva card ahead of the Assembly election, and has plans to build temple corridors in the coming days and unfurl saffron flags on all temples on the forthcoming Pushya Nakshatra on May 25.
The state government has plans to unfurl saffron dhwajas (flags) on all Devasthan temples which count to 593 on the forthcoming Pushya Nakshatra.
Also, the state government will be taking around 40,000 senior citizens for the ‘tirth yatra’ which is just double the number of what it was earlier, said state Devasthan minister Shakuntala Rawat.
The places where they will be taken include Rameshwaram, Pashupati Nath in Nepal.
In fact, grand temple corridors will be built like Khatushyamji and Kaila Devi temple to ensure devotees don’t face problems while offering prayers, she added.
Answering an IANS query if the state government is taking the Hindutva card in wake of ensuing polls, she said, “Our government has been religiously holding such events since the formation of our government. We have organised Hanuman Chalisa paath in different temples and have also organised Akhand Ramayana in different temples on Ram Navami. We have organised the Sahastradhara programme during Shrawan month too.
“The state government is also organising Devdarshan Yatras which started from January 28 in Jaipur, in April we went to Udaipur. The aim is to connect devotees to different temples which are unknown. These devotees have been visiting famous temples but we also would like to promote other temples of the state,” she added.
“In fact, we introduced Pashupati Temple in Nepal in the list of temples for Varishtha Nagrik Teerth Yatra, made arrangements for free halt of devotees in dharamshalas being run by devsthan department and its temple records have been digitised,” she added.
“A total of 593 temples coming under the Devasthan department will also be renovated and remuneration to priests in these temples have been increased to Rs 5,000 per month from Rs 3,000,” she added.
It needs to be mentioned here that the Gehlot government is being accused of being anti-Hindu by the opposition.
–IANS
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