‘Is this not revdi?’: Asaduddin Owaisi hits out at Maharashtra’s ‘CM Pilgrimage Scheme’ over religious bias

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP, on Tuesday, July 16, alleged the Maharashtra government indulging in appeasement and communal politics.

He launched a scathing attack at Eknath Shinde's government for launching the ‘CM Pilgrimage Scheme’, which offers free pilgrimage to Hindu pilgrimage sites to citizens of the state who are above 60 years of age.

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Asaduddin Owaisi in a post on X (formerly Twitter) said, "The Maharashtra govt has come up with a “CM Pilgrimage Scheme” offering free pilgrimage for people above 60 years. Except for 2 Muslim sites, a few Gurudwaras & Churches the overwhelming majority of sites are Hindu pilgrimage sites. Is this not appeasement? Is this not “revdi”? Those who are devout can do these pilgrimages themselves.

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Recently, the Maharashtra government announced that it will give pensions to ‘Warkaris.’ This development comes on the occasion of Aashadi Ekadashi, during which Warkaris (the community of senior citizens) set off for the annual age-old pilgrimage, known as the Wari, to Pandharpur, dedicated to Lord Vithal.

This decision comes ahead of assembly elections scheduled later this year which aims to appease the Warkaris. In addition to this, the government announced the establishment of Mukhya Mantri Varkari Sampradaya Mahamandal under the Social Justice Department. The corporation aims to provide facilities to Kirtankars, Warkaris, and Bhajani Mandals, as well as manage the Palkhi routes. The Mahamandal headquartered in Pandharpur, it has been allocated an initial fund of ₹50 crore.

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The BJP-led Mahayuti government announced the pension move after the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) attempted to appease the Warkaris. NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Congress’s Rahul Gandhi are likely to participate in the wari.

The Maharashtra government has decided to provide a fund of ₹20,000 per Dindi (group of devotees) starting this year, according to a Times of India report. Additionally, ₹36.71 crores has been allocated for the Nirmal Vari initiative, which aims to provide portable toilets along the pilgrimage routes.