Hyderabad: The Telangana government’s lack of action to regularize the services of imams, muezzins, and other employees working in historic mosques Makkah Masjid and Shahi Masjid Public Garden under the state’s minority welfare department has left these employees frustrated.
According to an Imam, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had promised to issue orders for the regularization of staff serving in both mosques five years ago. However, to date, neither the state minority welfare department nor the directorate has taken any steps to send the necessary files to the finance department for approval. Despite the appointment of a new Secretary of the Minority Welfare Department, progress on the regularization of staff at the two mosques remains stagnant.
The former Secretary of the Minority Welfare Department showed no interest in addressing the affairs of Makkah Masjid and Shahi Masjid Public Garden, both under the control of the Minority Welfare Department. He failed to take any action towards the regularization of services for the staff working in these mosques, and did not engage with any stakeholders regarding this matter. The responsibility of improving the affairs of the Minority Welfare Department was entrusted to him, but he did not show any concern for the employees of these historic mosques.
The staff working at Makkah Masjid and Shahi Masjid Public Garden recall that the Chief Minister had announced steps to regularize their services in the Assembly five years ago. However, while services of employees in many other departments have been regularized since then, the staff of these two mosques under the Minority Welfare Department have been neglected. This is a clear example of biased attitudes among government officials and the lack of interest in minority affairs on the part of the government.
