Watch: Telangana Imams, Muezzins stage silent protest over pending honorarium under Congress Govt

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had fixed honorarium of Rs. 5000 to the Imam (one who leads the prayers) and Muezzin (the one who give call for prayer), in the State. After scrutinizing the applications, the State government through TS Wakf Board pays the honorarium to them. The Congress party during its election campaign assured to hike the amount.

Hyderabad: Several Imams and Muezzins from across the Telangana staged a silent protest on Monday at Haj House Nampally against the Congress led government for its failure to release their honorarium.

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had fixed honorarium of Rs. 5000 to the Imam (one who leads the prayers) and Muezzin (the one who give call for prayer), in the State. After scrutinizing the applications, the State government through TS Wakf Board pays the honorarium to them. The Congress party during its election campaign assured to hike the amount.

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Maulana Hakeem Sufi Syed Shah Muhammad Khairuddin Qadri, president, All India Sufi Ulema Council, who led the protest argued that since the Congress government came to power a step motherly treatment is given to Muslim community. “Since the party came to power not a penny was paid to the Imam and Muezzin. Muslims are being cheated by the Congress party,” he charged.

The amount released to Imams and Muezzins a few months ago was actually meant to be paid during the BRS rule. Due to election code, the disbursal was stopped and that amount was paid after Congress party formed the government in the State, he said.

“Misinformation is being spread through social media that the honorarium of Imam and Muezzin was released by the State government and it was paid to them,” he said. So far not a single penny was paid to Telangana Urdu Academy, Telangana Minorities Finance Corporation or any other minority institution by the Congress government.

The Imam and Muezzin warned of more protests if the State government failed to clear the honorarium pending since 14 months at the earliest.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the officials of TS Wakf Board to seek clarification proved futile.