Licenced To Pray

Moillim’s Debacle

• In May, the ASI appointed 25 persons as religious guides (Moillims) at the Salim Chishti dargah in Fatehpur Sikri
• There are serious objections to the ASI’s appointments
• The ASI legal expert A.D.N. Rao had advised against such moves
• The Muslim clergy have written to the PM to intervene

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For 80-year-old Peerzada Rais Mian Chishti, it’s a breach of faith. For the last 74 years, ever since the untimely death of his father, he has served as the Sajjada Nasheen of the Salim Chishti dargah in Fatehpur Sikri, waking up at 4 am every morning to conduct namaaz at the 16th century Sufi shrine. He takes pride in calling his task an inheritance. A task assigned to his family by emperor Akbar.

Rais Mian and the chief priests before him have worked at the dargah with the help of a battery of khadims (religious attendants), chosen by the chief priest and the Waqf Board. Tradition has it that attendants come from within the family.

But all that changed three months ago. On May 5, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), sent out orders to issue licences for ‘religious archaeological guides’ or Moillims to be given to 25 people from Fatehpur Sikri. The religious guides will perform the duties of the khadims and perform prayers. Neither the Mian Chishti family nor the Waqf Board were consulted.

Objections to the appointments are coming from various quarters. Says urban designer, Professor K.T. Ravindran, “It is highly inappropriate for a government appointee to be guiding religious rituals. That should be best left to the organisational structure of the place itself. I am surprised that such an appointment has been made. This will create bad blood between groups. The term ‘religious archaeological guides’ itself does not sound right. It is very peculiar and not a good precedent to set.”

The ASI letter to the superintending archaeologist, Agra circle, in charge of the Fatehpur Sikri complex, says, “You are requested to permit the persons (as per list) to act as religious archaeological guides exclusively for the dargah complex for a period of one year from the date of issuance. It may be clearly mentioned that these persons shall have to confine their activities within the dargah complex only and shall in no case spill over to the area outside the dargah or any other monument.” The letter adds, “These guides have expertise in the religious affairs/rituals in relation to the offerings to be made at the dargah...hence, their activities be confined to the dargah complex only”.

It’s a Pandora’s box of troubles, say legal experts. Points out Supreme Court lawyer Shakil Ahmad Syed: “The government cannot make a distinction on the basis of or use religion in matters of employment. With an appointment like this, the government has made it possible for people from all faiths to become eligible for jobs of religious attendants at any religious site. Tour guides are selected through examinations conducted by the ASI through advertisements and are open to all in the entire country. The basic qualification required for such posts is 12th standard pass and minimum knowledge of history. Once a person qualifies, he will have to be appointed. How will the government ensure that only Muslims get selected for Muslim shrines or Hindus for Hindu shrines?”

Shakil says the present appointment will complicate matters in the future. “These recruits may be an exception but since appointments of guides happen through national-level tests, this appointment will change things forever. This can be used as an example for future appointments at other shrines. What happens next year when these permits expire? The government will have to either renew these permits or hold a test. Will they then specify in the application forms that only Muslims can take this test? The ASI’s own legal expert, A.D.N. Rao, had advised the ASI against such appointments in 2005.”

The ASI had conducted an entrance test for the post of guides at the Fatehpur Sikri complex in ’02 and 178 guides had been selected for the monument section. Sources in the ASI confirm that the category of religious archaeological guides never existed and the 25 new recruits had not even cleared the entrance test. “It’s a back-door entry,” says an official. Another senior official from the ASI’s monument section, directly responsible for these licenses, explains, “It’s the first time that this kind of designation has been created. There was political pressure to do it. We had to accommodate these 25 people despite the fact that they hadn’t appeared for the test ASI conducted in ’02. Under the ASI Act, we cannot interfere in religious activities.”

Diwan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, chief priest of the Ajmer Sharif dargah, says, “Since when did the government start interfering in religious practices? It has no right to do so. Governance and religion should be kept separate. We will not allow this. Today this has happened in Fatehpur Sikri, tomorrow it will happen elsewhere.”

“It’s a recipe for disaster,” adds the Ajmer Sharif priest. “The ASI’s own rule book does not allow laymen to conduct rituals in any religious places. We have written to the PM and hope he will do something.” Says historian Ramachandra Guha: “This needs to be reversed as soon as possible. Appointments of this kind only happen in totalitarian states like China, where the government takes away the rights, otherwise internal to a community. It’s completely bizarre. This kind of a state stamp for religious rituals is a foolish, random and careless act.”

Ironically, at Fatehpur Sikri, the ASI’s kindness has not worked well even for the 25 shortlisted by the department. Mohmmad Yasin, whose name figures in the list, clarifies, “We didn’t ask for a licence to become religious guides. We wanted a licence for a tour guide. But if this is the only way the government can accommodate us, we’re happy.”

It’s clearly a case of the ASI botching up. Officials at ASI, Agra, admit as much.