New Delhi: In a bid to woo Christians of poll bound Nagaland, the BJP is offering them free trips to Jerusalem if they are elected to power.
The BJP’s offer comes in the run-up to elections in three northeastern states – Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura – later this month. In Meghalaya, almost 75 percent of the population is Christian. In Nagaland, 88 percent of the population is Christian.
It is however unclear weather BJP’s offer is for all the Christians of the country or just the North East.
“The BJP has made an election promise to send Christians to Jerusalem on a free trip, if elected to power in Nagaland,” tweeted news outlet WeTheNagas.
The BJP has made an election promise to send Christians to Jerusalem on a free trip, if elected to power in #Nagaland#WeTheNagas #NagalandGeneralElection2018
— WeTheNagas (@WeTheNagas) February 13, 2018
Another news agency UNI reported that the free Jerusalem trip has only been offered to Christians in Nagaland.
The offer comes a month after the BJP Government cancelled the Hajj Subsidy saying that they want betterment of all without any appeasement. The BJP had said that the money would be used in the education of the girls.
ALSO READ: India ends Haj subsidy as part of policy to ’empower minorities without appeasement’
“BJP promise to send Christians on a free trip. I was right, BJP continues with subsidy if it suits its electoral needs. This is (what BJP means by) ‘India first’ “, tweeted AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.
‘Jerusalem calling’ in Nagaland https://t.co/yR0rEmlhi3 via @the_hindu BJP promise to send Christians on a free trip,I was right BJP continues with Subsidy if it suits its electoral needs this is “ INDIA first”
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) February 13, 2018
After this decision was announced, Left party CPM said that they were in principle opposed to subsidies for all religious pilgrimages, but were not in favour of the government abruptly stopping the haj subsidy, considering the Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that it should be phased out over a 10-year period.
