CIC data shows whopping 1,383% increase in honorarium to Imams/Muazzins in 2021-22 from over Rs 3.93 crore in 2020-21
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi has been running the administration with an eye on Muslim votes exclusively and appeasing them to an extent that it has spent in 2021-222 over Rs 58 crore of public money in paying honorarium to Imams/Muazzins of mosques outside the domain of the Delhi Waqf Board, which is an increase of 1,383 percent from over Rs 3.93 crore in 2020-21.
It is to be noted here that Delhi Waqf Board, in its latest affidavit filed by in the Central Information Commission (CIC), revealed that in the financial year 2021-22 the Board paid honorarium to Imams/Muazzins, including of those mosques that do not come under the Board to the tune of a whopping 58,30,68,000, while in the previous year 2020-21 the amount was as less as Rs 3,93,16,000
It also revealed that no amount of money was paid to temples or Hindu priests and also that of Churches or Gurudwaras
It further revealed that if a separate Rs 7.17 crore paid to Imams and Muazzins in mosques under domain of Delhi Waqf Board is considered, the total amount paid in 2021-22 is Rs 65 crore.
The data from the CIC was brought to fore in an RTI application, which was filed by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal, who on the basis of a 2019 news report that Delhi CM Kejriwal planned to hike salary of Imams, filed the application to know the amount the Delhi govt paid to Imams/ Muazzins of mosques under Delhi Waqf Board and also outside the control of the Board.
Meanwhile, the CIC has also made strong remarks against the expenditure. It had earlier taken serious note of the fact that Delhi govt took no initiative to help cash-strapped temples run by trusts, where priests earned less than Rs 2,000 per month.
The CIC while taking serious note of the govt’s refusal to furnish data as far as payments to Imams are concerned and also at the same time questioning lack of aid to Hindu temples and absence of any such schemes for churches and gurudwaras had said “this is in violation of the provisions of the Constitution, particularly Article 27, which says that “the taxpayers’ money will not be used to favour any particular religion”.
The CIC in its remarks had also said, “Those who justify such steps in the name of protection to religious minorities raise a question that if a particular religious minority has a right to protection, the majority community too has a right to protection in a multi-religious country, where it is incumbent that the rights of the members of all religions are protected equally in the interest of inter-faith harmony and unity of the nation.”
Speaking exclusively to TV news channel Time Now, Central Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar said, “A secular country like India all religions must be treated equally.”
“Here Imams are paid a huge amount. Not only giving but increasing to 33 times in a span of two years. This is against the constitution. The figure was 2.33 crore in 2018-19 and in 2021-22 it became Rs 63 crore and even mosques, which are not under Waqf Board, are covered under payment scheme,” he said, adding: “We have a pundit in Delhi, who is drawing a salary of Rs 2,000, which is paid by the Temple Trust and on the other hand the Imams/Muazzains are drawing huge salaries in the name of honorarium, I think that is not good for the country.”
Given the situation the Information Commissioner concluded saying the amount is startling and payment to only Muslims is in vi0lation of the Constitution, as government funds cannot be used to promote one particular religion. He also concluded saying that religious appeasement led to the country’s partition.
Payments to Imams and Muazzin under domain of Delhi Waqf Board
FY 2013-14—Rs 2,41,55,320
FY-2014-15—Rs 2,68,10,123
FY-2015-16—Rs 3,18,67,000
FY 2016-17—Rs 2,7543,907
FY 2017-18—Rs 1,42,22,000
FY 2018-19 —Rs 2,33,58,333
FY 2019-20—Rs 4,44,09,700
FY 2020-21—Rs 5,69,00,000
FY 2021-22—Rs 7,17,70,000
FY 2022-23 —Rs 97,70,000 (so far)
After Kejriwal announced hike in honorarium/salary to Imams of Mosques outside the domain of Delhi Waqf Board in 2019
FY 2019-20 –Rs 4,90,74,000
FY 2020-21—Rs 3,93,16,000
FY 2021-22—Rs 58,30,68,000*
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