Kejriwal meets pilgrims leaving for Tirupati under ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana’

New Delhi: In a heart-warming gesture, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal bid farewell to 780 elderly pilgrims embarking on the 89th pilgrimage under the ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana.’ The special train departed from Delhi to Tirupati Balaji, marking another step in the government’s commitment to facilitating spiritual journeys for senior citizens.

Inspired by the legendary tale of Shravan Kumar, who carried his blind elderly parents on a pilgrimage, CM Arvind Kejriwal expressed his motivation for organising pilgrimages for the elderly. “There is ‘Punya’ not only in undertaking a pilgrimage but also in organising one,” he stated, highlighting the virtue of facilitating such journeys for elders. The Chief Minister, who considers the people of Delhi as his family, asserted, “If I am a son of Delhi, and the two crore people of Delhi are my family, then taking the elderly from Delhi on a pilgrimage is my duty and responsibility.” He emphasised his dedication to ensuring that every elderly person in Delhi has the opportunity to embark on a pilgrimage at least once.

Since the inception of the ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra Yojana,’ a total of 89 trains have carried approximately 84,000 pilgrims to various sacred destinations across the country. The programme has covered pilgrimage sites like Rameswaram, Dwarkadhish, Puri, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Mathura, Vrindavan, and Shirdi Baba.

The CM highlighted the logistical challenges, stating, “We are facing a shortage of trains. We use all the trains provided by the central government and send our elderly on pilgrimages.” He assured that despite any obstacles, the govt is committed to allocating all necessary resources for the initiative. The 7-day journey to Tirupati includes visits not only to Tirupati Balaji but also to Padmavati and ISKCON Temple. The elderly pilgrims, who enjoyed a devotional evening at Thyagaraj Stadium before their departure, expressed gratitude for the initiative.

Revenue Minister Atishi commended the success of the programme, stating, “So far, 88 trains under ‘MukhyaMantri Teerth Yatra Yojna’ have taken 84,000 elderly people from all over Delhi to various pilgrimage destinations.” She celebrated the fact that 90 per cent of the participants in the pilgrimage journeys are women, acknowledging their dedication to family and expressing happiness that the programme provides them an opportunity for spiritual exploration.