The BJP-led West Bengal government has decided to end assistance-oriented schemes for religious leaders starting June, following a Cabinet meeting. The schemes supporting ‘imams’ and ‘purohits’ will be discontinued, drawing criticism from the Congress for alleged post-election political motives. Congress MLA Aradhana Misra-Mona highlighted the shift in stance as driven by political ambition, contrasting it with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s pledge to govern for all of West Bengal.
Defending the decision, BJP leader T.R. Srinivas praised CM Adhikari’s move as positive, accusing former CM Mamata Banerjee of favoring minorities over science and technology in budget allocations. The BJP emphasized a shift towards prioritizing national interests, with Srinivas questioning the previous government’s financial allocations.
In response, District Secretary of Jamiat Ulema in Kolkata, Mohammad Ashraf Ali Qasmi, acknowledged the previous government’s support for religious leaders but noted that the allowance cessation would not impact ‘imams’ and ‘purohits’ who receive salaries from their respective places of worship. Qasmi supported the government’s decision if aimed at fostering religious harmony and redirecting focus towards broader societal welfare beyond religious institutions.
