NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee has announced an increase in the monthly allowances for imams, muezzins, and priests.

“While our intentions are ambitious, financial constraints due to withheld funds from the Centre have limited our scope. Despite this, I have decided to raise the allowance by ₹500 for imams, muezzins, and priests (pandits),” Banerjee told an event on Tuesday.

She further said: “My commitment to serving all communities, including Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, and Parsis, remains unwavering.”

She further emphasized, “I urge imams and muezzins to maintain peace and discourage any instigations. It is crucial for Hindus and Muslims to resist any provocations aimed at fomenting unrest.”

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Following the recent three-tier panchayat elections in West Bengal, the Indian Secular Front (ISF) has garnered increased support from the Muslim electorate. According to the state election commission, the ISF party, led by influential cleric Abbas Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif, secured victory in 336 seats. Notably, the party secured a Zilla parishad seat, along with 10 Panchayat samiti and 325 gram panchayat victories.

Reflecting on the 2021 assembly election, where the ISF won a seat in its inaugural contest, Banerjee shared, “We have granted recognition to 307 unaided madrasahs, and an additional 700 will be acknowledged this year. We are actively identifying unregistered madrasahs to ensure students can access state government welfare schemes, with the assistance of local community members.”

As the joint opposition parties convene for the third meeting under the acronym “India” scheduled to commence on August 31 in Mumbai, Chief Minister Banerjee reiterated her national commitment. “At the national level, I stand firmly with INDIA. While PM Modi’s term is limited to six months, we are determined to take all necessary actions to counter his leadership,” she asserted.

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Following the meeting and the announcement of increased allowances, Banerjee is set to conduct a review meeting for Durga Puja preparations, engaging committee members and other stakeholders at the Netaji Indoor Stadium today.

In a noteworthy development from 2022, Mamata Banerjee, acknowledging the fiscal constraints, announced a substantial grant of ₹60,000 to each of the 43,000 clubs across the state for organizing Durga Puja. This grant has now been further augmented to ₹70,000, signifying the government’s commitment to supporting cultural festivities and traditions.

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