BHOPAL: Taking lesson from past, former CM Kamal Nath has now demanded a relief package for clerics of all religions besides additional relief for religious places. Earlier, he had demanded a special relief package only for priests of temples- that had earned ire from all minority communities.

Nath has written a letter to CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan urging him to provide financial assistance of Rs 5000 per month to all religious places and Rs 7500 per month to clerics of all religions.

Nath in his letter has said that due to lockdown all religious places are closed and facing problem of maintenance. Even donations by common people have stopped coming due to lockdown, making sustenance of clerics including pujari, maulvis, guru and panth pradarshaks etc very difficult.

Madhya Pradesh is a state where people of all faith including Hindu, Mslim, Sikh, Christians and others reside. Places of worships of all religions are facing difficulty therefore they should get this relief for at least three months, the letter read.

About a month ago, Kamal Nath had earned a lot of criticism from the members of minority communities- when he had demanded Rs 5000 per month relief for pundits of temples across the state.

Members of minority cell of the Congress had then expressed their reservation on the demand and questioned the secular approach of the party. Why was demand made only for pujaris of temples and not for mosques, churches or gurudwaras, Congress leaders from the minority wing had asked senior leaders.

Political analysts believe that the letter from Nath demanding relief for all religions has come as correction for previous mistake and by-elections in state.