By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: West Bengal Government should follow the order of Honourable Supreme Court regarding Salary-allowances to the Imam and Muazzin of the state, said Delhi based All India Imam Organization (AIIO) leader Maulana Umayer Ahmed Illiasi in a state conference in Kolkata at Muslim Institute Hall on 26th March, 2014.
Mualana Illiasi criticised the Mamata Banerjee led West Bengal Government for non-recognition of Imam and Muazzin to get the proper salary. The Chief Minister of West Bengal did not keep her words to allocate flats for Imam and Muazzin after coming in power. AIIO demands at least Salary 25 thousand rupees for Imam and 15 thousand rupees for Muazzin with immediate effect. Maulana Illiasi mentioned that a division bench of Supreme Court led by Justice R M Sahay and Justice K Ramswami had given verdict on 13th May, 1993 to count the Imam and Muazzin as Government officers. Besides this, the court also directed to bear educational expenses of their children.
All India Imam Muazzin Organisation conference. [Photo by Sandip Saha]
Imam of the Nakhoda Mosque Kolkata Maulana Muhammad Shafique said that it is good that present state government already started to give salary to the Imam and Muazzin in all districts, but that is not sufficient. However, he is unhappy about non-allocation of flats to the Imam and Muazzin under the project `own land own home’ of West Bengal government
Member of Parliament, Sultan Ahmed praised the Imam and Muazzin for being involved in the government activities like polio awareness campaigns etc. and claimed on this basis the justification of their salaries. State Secretary of the All India Imam Organisation Maulana Abdur Rahman supported other speakers while speaking about other issues like Sharia law, etc.
Maulana Muhammad Sahfique of Nakhoda Mosque was declared the State Chief Imam by the Chief Imam of AIIO, before the session ended. Vice President of the State Minority Commission, Mariya Farnandage, Maulana Abdul Khaleque, Congress leader Khaled Ebadullah, Maulana Ziaul Haque Qasemi, are among the others who were present.