Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath | Photo Credit: ANI

Lucknow: Just months before the Lok Sabha Elections, the Yogi Adityanath government has announced that a populist move to grant pension to sadhus in Uttar Pradesh. As per the details available, the pension will be provided to Hindu seers who are above the age of 60.

The pension would be provided under the state pension scheme for senior citizens. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the government would set up special camps across the state till January 30 to help sadhus enrol for pension under the scheme.

The announcement has been made at a time when Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh is hosting Kumbh Mela 2019 where lakhs of Hindu seers are attending the religious event.

“The state government has decided that all destitute persons (including women, disabled etc) will get a pension of Rs 500 per month as compared to Rs 400 earlier,” CM Yogi said, adding that Hindu seers above 60 will also be covered under this pension scheme.

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Meanwhile, the opposition parties have levelled the Hindu appeasement charge against the Yogi Adityanath government after the move was announced.

Samajwadi Party leader and former CM Akhilesh Yadav said it was an appeasement move ahead of the General Elections.

Taking a jibe at the state BJP government, Akhilesh said “pension should also be provided to the artists who play the role of Ram, Sita, Lakshman and even Ravan in Ramlilas.”

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