The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday alleged that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi had allegedly misused public funds to appease the Muslim community ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

BJP MLA Vijender Gupta said, “The AAP is misusing the Waqf Board funds to appease voters from a particular religion to get their support in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. They are distributing crores of rupees to the imams and muezzins in the name of raising their honorarium/salary to influence elections in Delhi.”

Gupta said he has written to L-G Anil Baijal and will also complaint to the chief election commissioner, demanding action against the AAP .

Gupta said, “The decision to give increased salaries to imams and muezzins was not done as per rules. It didn’t have the approval of the Delhi government officials.”

Reacting to the allegations, Amantullah Khan, chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, said, “Delhi Waqf Board is an autonomous body.The decision to increase the salary was taken in November 2018, which is now being implemented. In February, we had asked the officials to implement the order. All necessary procedures have been followed. There is no violation of the model code of conduct.”

As per the office order dated February 26, 2019, Khan had directed officials to released the enhanced honorarium to Imams for the month of February.

Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP spokesperson, said: “Delhi Waqf Board has always been paying honorarium to a section of Imams who are appointed by the board. Waqf Board generates most of its revenue from leasing properties spread across Delhi. Like any other pension, salaries or honorarium, this amount is revised from time to time. This decision of revising honorarium was taken long back before model code of conduct.”

First Published: Apr 28, 2019 03:31 IST