Hyderabad: Remuneration of imams and muezzins of Makkah Masjid and Shahi Masjid at Public Garden is lesser than what a home guard earns. Khateebs, sermonizer, imams, who leads the prayers, and muezzins, who calls for prayer, draw a cumulative Rs 17,500 as remuneration in the two mosques, while the home guards guarding the premises earn Rs 22,850 per month. The two mosques are under the direct management of the minorities welfare department, which also pays for the home guards posted there.
The Makkah Masjid has a khateeb, two imams and two muezzins and 18 home guards, while the Shahi Masjid has a khateeb and a muezzin.
The khateeb of Shahi Masjid is a PhD scholar while one imam of Makkah Masjid is a kaamil PG degree in theology in Islamic Institutions.
Two years ago, the minorities welfare department had purposed to enhance the remunerations of imams, khateebs and muezzins.
However, it is learnt that the finance department returned the file seeking clarifications, and the issue has been pending since.
