Chennai: Tamil Nadu is increasing the grant given to Christians for their pilgrimage to Jerusalem from the present Rs 20,000 to Rs 37,000, chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami announced on Dec. 20 at a Christmas function organised in Chennai.
This comes a day after Palaniswami kicked off the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (AIADMK) campaign from his home constituency in Salem for the 2021 assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
On the first day of his campaign, Palaniswami had announced a dole for 2.06 crore ration card holders to receive Rs 2,500 along with raw rice, sugarcane, cashew, grapes and sugar for the harvest festival of Pongal celebrated in Tamil Nadu in January. Ahead of the elections, where the AIADMK is seeking a third consecutive term, the party has made efforts to appease different caste groups and minority communities.
Earlier in December, during his inspection in flood-affected areas after Cyclone Nivar and Buveri in Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Thiruvarur districts, Palaniswami offered prayers at the Nagore Dargah and Vailankanni Church.
In February, the state government had invited applicants from Christians to avail the financial assistance to visit the holy land in Jerusalem for a period of ten days.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-increases-grant-for-christians-to-visit-jerusalem/story-1TbOBmxnI5MQjPsAC8cfVI.html
Clearly an appeasement. Tax payers money is not to be thrown away like this. It is inconsistent with secular tradition.
What a gimmick indeed ! The pilgrimage to Holy Land is not at all a necessary thing. The necessity for the poor Dalit as well as other Christians is employment. Dalit whether Christian or Hindu or Muslim, should be specially considered for education of children and housing. The Chief Minister should study the problems of the downtrodden and unemployed and try to solve their problems
The Christian community should abjure such forms of appeasement.