On Monday (August 21), the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government increased the monthly honorarium of Islamic clerics (Imams) and Hindu priests (purohits) by ₹500.
As such, the effective monthly increase of allowance to Imams and purohits has increased to ₹3000 (up from ₹2500) and ₹1500 (up from ₹1000). Muslim individuals who give Islamic call to prayer (Azaan), popularly called muezzins, will be paid an honorarium at par with Hindu priests i.e. ₹1500 per month.
While speaking about the matter in the Netaji Indoor stadium in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee said, “Wakf board used to give the allowance of imams and muezzins. Our capacity is limited. I would request to increase their monthly allowance by Rs 500. We are also increasing the monthly allowance of purohits by Rs 500.”
Meanwhile Mamata Banerjee hiked the stipend of Imams by Rs 500. Total allowance for Imam is Rs 3000. For Purohits, it is Rs 1500 (after hike). https://t.co/zProcWTSms pic.twitter.com/SZIVMGmcl3
— Keya Ghosh (@keyakahe) August 22, 2023
As such, the allowance given to the Imam has doubled in comparison to the Hindu priests. The development comes at a time when the State is reeling under a financial crunch. A senior member of the Finance Department told The Indian Express, “We do not know how we can manage this burden.”
It must be mentioned that the West Bengal government under Mamata Banerjee introduced the scheme of honorarium for Muslim clerics and muezzins within just a year of coming to power.
In a notification released on April 19, 2012, by the Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education, the government announced, “The District Magistrate will also requisition funds for a period of 2(TWO) months, initially, on the basis of the number of imams of the District @ Rs. 2500/- per IMAM per month.”
Balancing act by Mamata Banerjee
Eight years after the honorarium scheme for Imams and Muezzins came into force, Mamata Banerjee announced a monthly allowance for Hindu priests in September 2020.
It is important to mention that the number of Hindu beneficiaries was just 8000, compared to 55,000 Imams. To add salt to the wound, their pay now is ₹1500 per month, which is 50% less than that of Imams.
This is despite the West Bengal CM’s claim of working for all communities. “As long as I am alive and my party is in power, I will be there for everyone and work for all communities. Never think that I have forgotten you,” she said on Monday (August 21).
পিসির প্রত্যেকটি আচার-আচরণে স্পষ্ট সাম্প্রদায়িক বৈষম্য। মানুষে মানুষে হিংসা তৈরি করবার পথটি সুগম করেছেন। পিসির সব অঙ্কই ভোটের অঙ্কে মাপা।
— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) February 1, 2021
রাজ্যের মুখ্যমন্ত্রী হয়েই তিনি বিভেদ রাজনীতি শুরু করেছেন। সেই ট্রাডিশন এখনও চলছে। মানব দরদি হয় পিসির ভান। pic.twitter.com/J1b5OPPgE4
The issue of discrepancy in monthly honorarium was raised by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in February 2021. Mamata Banerjee has often been accused of Muslim appeasement. It must be mentioned that she imposed restrictions on the immersion of Durga idols in 2016 and 2017 to make way for Muharram processions.
