New Delhi, Oct 26: A political row erupted after the National Human Rights Commission inspected luxury buses operated under Punjab’s free pilgrimage initiative for senior citizens. AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal questioned why the national body focused exclusively on Punjab’s ‘Tirath Yatra’ fleet while overlooking transport buses in other states.
Kejriwal declared that the central government was attempting to stop the Bhagwant Mann administration from facilitating free travel for the elderly to major religious centers across the country. He maintained that the inspection of basic bus amenities by a human rights body was unprecedented and politically motivated.
Echoing similar concerns, Punjab AAP Prabhari Manish Sisodia stated that the commission showed selective urgency, investigating minor vehicular issues while ignoring major human rights concerns elsewhere. AAP leadership asserted that using central bodies to examine bus doors and technical arrangements demonstrated a political vendetta against Punjab’s welfare initiatives.
The state-sponsored scheme covers all travel expenditures for senior citizens visiting major spiritual destinations like Sri Anandpur Sahib and Vrindavan. Official records indicate that over seven hundred thousand elderly devotees have used the service so far, with a vast majority visiting key pilgrimage sites across Amritsar.
