The issue of remuneration for imams disrupted the Lok Sabha on Saturday when RJD, SP and TMC members pressed the government to implement a Supreme Court order regarding payment of salaries to clerics of government-aided mosques.
Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee said the government would take appropriate action to implement the order after RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav raised the issue during Zero Hour. Mr Lalu Yadav wanted to know the reasons for the delay in implementation of a 1993 Supreme Court judgment on a petition of the All-India Imams Organisation relating to salaries of imams in government-aided mosques and remuneration to clerics in non-aided places of worship.
There was a minor uproar in the House after minority affairs minister Salman Khurshid spoke of differences among imams on drawing government salaries. BJP members Yogi Adityanath and Bijoya Chakraborty demanded similar remuneration for eight lakh temple priests across India. This resulted in a heated exchange of words between the BJP and the RJD, SP and TMC.
The Congress dismissed the issue with party spokesperson Manish Tewari ascribing the raising of the issue to impending elections in Bihar.
Reacting, Mr Lalu Yadav said, “Congress did not implement it despite coming to power on Muslim votes. But when our party will come to power in Bihar, we will implement the directive.”