Md Kaifee Alam, TwoCircles.net
Mohammad Aslam, 35, a 35 muazzin (the person who proclaims the call to daily prayers at a mosque), stands at the threshold of Masjid Ghaziuddin Khan, which is located in Delhi’s Anglo Arabic School complex at Ajmeri Gate area in New Delhi district of the national capital. As he calls out the ‘azaan’ (call for prayer), there is a sense of purpose in his voice. However, his thoughts are far from the spiritual. For over two years, he has not received his monthly salary of Rs 16,000 that enables him make ends meet.
Aslam’s salary was once drawn from rents from Waqf properties. But with the shifting policies and administrative infighting, it has been delayed for months – forcing him to take up tutoring to fulfill his monetary needs. However, this meagre income falls short of covering his basic expenses, including his children’s education fees, which have been pending for the last two years.
“My children’s school fees are unpaid. I am unable to pay them. I have asked for more time. I hope that I will receive my salary soon,” he says with a mix of resignation and hope.
His plight is not isolated. Many imams and muazzins across Delhi are battling financial uncertainty due to prolonged delays in their salaries.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently made an announcement in the wake of upcoming assembly election – which is scheduled to be held on February 5. He introduced the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojna, a scheme to provide an honorarium of Rs 18,000 per month to registered Hindu and Sikh priests in Delhi. “This is happening for the first time in the country. Priests have carried forward our rituals for generations, often neglecting their own families. We have failed to pay attention to their needs,” Kejriwal said, while making the announcement.
The scheme, which began accepting registrations immediately after the announcement, was lauded by many, particularly the Hindu and Sikh priests. However, as the ink dried on the announcement, a crucial issue was left hanging in the air — what about the imams and muazzins who had long depended on state support for their modest salaries? This question, for many, remains unanswered. Their struggles are being pushed further into the shadows.
One imam, who has not been paid for more than two years, said,, “Kejriwal’s announcement is fine, but what about us? We have served our communities just as diligently. We too deserve our due recognition.”
Imams and muazzins working in mosques under the Waqf Board are entitled to salaries of Rs 18,000 and Rs 16,000, respectively. However, these payments have been postponed repeatedly because of alleged internal bureaucratic delays.
Mohammad Aslam explains the root of the problem. “Prior to 2019, imams and muazzins in Waqf-managed mosques were the only ones receiving salaries. Then, Kejriwal’s government decided to extend the payments to imams from non-Waqf mosques. It marked the first time the government funded such salaries.”
However, the new policy has brought complications. The legality of the government’s payments to imams in non-Waqf mosques was questioned. As a result, approximately 35 imams and muazzins serving in Waqf mosques were also declared “illegal”.
Aslam, who has been without pay since May 2022, recounts how the issue escalated. “The Waqf Board used to fund our salaries from property rents. But due to bureaucratic infighting within the Board, payments have been delayed. It has left us in a state of financial uncertainty,” he says. This financial strain has driven many imams and muazzins to seek alternative sources of income, including tutoring or even taking on labor-intensive work to survive.
Maulana Tauheed (name changed), an imam of a Waqf Board-mosque, has been serving for over a decade. He is one of the 32 imams whose appointments were declared “illegal” after a leadership shift within the Waqf Board. “I was appointed by the Board itself. I have a valid appointment letter. So how can they declare my position illegal now?” he asks. His frustration stems from the fact that his salary, like many others, was stopped without notice.
The reasons for this abrupt decision lie in the power struggles within the Waqf Board, especially after the departure of the then-chairman, Amanatullah Khan, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Okhla. Tauheed explains, “Many of us were appointed during Khan’s tenure. After his exit, the new leadership declared those appointments illegal. This has left many of us stranded without any income.”
Despite the legal battle some have taken to court, the situation remains grim. “We are victims of the political infighting within the Waqf Board. How can our appointments be considered illegal when we were officially appointed by the Board itself?” Tauheed adds.
Mohammad Haroon, the imam of Racecourse mosque, shares his plight. “Our salaries have been pending for 17 months. The Waqf Board has finally received the funds from the Delhi government, but the signature of the CEO, a position currently vacant, is required to release the payments,” he says. Until the CEO is appointed, these unpaid salaries remain in limbo.
Despite these struggles, there is a glimmer of hope. After several rounds of meetings with Delhi’s Chief Minister Atishi and other senior officials, the government has allocated funds to cover the overdue salaries. The imams and muazzins are hopeful that, with the appointment of a new CEO, the payments will soon be disbursed.
While the delay in payments has put imams and muazzins in a difficult position, the political landscape in Delhi is shifting. As the AAP government pushes forward with policies like the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojna, the question of fairness remains central. The clarics, who are often at the heart of their communities, hope that their plight will not be forgotten as the city’s political priorities evolve. For now, they wait, hoping for a resolution that acknowledges their service and secures their livelihoods.