For the last two days, conflicting reports are circulating in various media channels and newspapers quoting Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) about Delhi Government’s Muslim employees’ right to offer Friday prayers. One report says that Delhi Government has refused to allow its employees’ time to offer Friday prayers while another report claims that Delhi Government has offered its Muslim employees a “gift” by allowing them to offer Friday prayers. Both these reports are wrong and unfounded. DMC issued the following statement in this respect on 25 April:
“Some Delhi Muslim teachers have complained that they are not allowed time to offer congregational Friday prayers. These teachers have given the DMC a copy of a Union Home Ministry’s order issued in 1954 which says that government’s Muslim employees have the right to offer Friday prayers but if this takes place outside lunch time, a deduction will be made from the salaries of such employees against the time consumed for offering Friday prayers. DMC has asked the Union Home Secretary if this order is still valid and if not, when and what changes were made to this order.”
No further progress has been made in this case other than what is stated in the above DMC press note of 25 April. DMC has received the reply of Delhi Directorate of Education saying that no such relaxation is possible as it will hurt the interests of the students. DMC has yet to receive a reply to its notice from MCD and of the query sent to the Union Home Secretary about the 1954 order. If need be, after the receipt of all replies, DMC will formally approach Delhi Government in this respect.