Union Minority Affairs Minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi talked on a host of issues. Excerpts:
On transparency and Haj subsidy
The Narendra Modi government has ended the deceit of Haj subsidy with decisive honesty and transparency. This honest and transparent system has ensured that even after removal of the Haj subsidy, there is no unnecessary financial burden on the Haj pilgrims.
On more pilgrims going for Haj
A record number of 2 lakh pilgrims will go for Haj this year, that too without any subsidy. While 1,40,000 Haj pilgrims will go through the Haj Committee of India, 60,000 pilgrims will go through the Haj Group Organisers (HGOs). All the HGOs will have to take 10,000 Haj pilgrims on the rates decided by the Haj Committee of India only.
On women Haj pilgrims
The number of women Haj pilgrims going without “Mehram” (male companion) this year is double in comparison to last year.
At least 2,340 women from India will go for Haj without “Mehram” this year, while 1,180 women had performed Haj last year without “Mehram”. The two lakh Haj pilgrims include about 48% women.
On safety and better facilities for pilgrims
The government has taken effective steps to ensure safety and better facilities for Haj pilgrims and no negligence will be tolerated in this regard. A total of 620 Haj coordinators, Assistant Haj Officers, Haj Assistants, Doctors, Paramedics, etc, have been deployed in Saudi Arabia to assist the Haj pilgrims. They include a large number of women.
On Saudi Arabia increasing Haj quota
Saudi Arabia’s decision to increase India’s Haj quota to two lakh has ensured that for the first time since Independence, all the Haj applicants from all big states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar will go for Haj 2019 as their waiting lists have been cleared due to increase in Haj quota.