The Center has withdrawn subsidies on Haj pilgrimage this year onwards. This could affect the 1.75L Muslims registered to go for the pilgrimage in 2018, the highest ever. There will be no subsidy for Haj from this year, said Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today.
Naqvi speaking to the reporters said that despite the subsidy withdrawal, a record number of 1.75 lakh Muslims will undertake the pilgrimage this year from India.
Speaking to the media Mr Naqvi has said that “Muslims didn’t benefit from it. Development with dignity is what we believe in. The subsidy will be used for educating girls”. He said that with this move the government would save Rs. 700cr with this move, which will be used for empowering the minority community.
In 2012, the SC had ordered gradual abolishment of the subsidy by 2022. “A constitutional bench of the Supreme Court had, during the Congress regime in 2012, directed that the Haj subsidy be done away with. Hence, in the new policy, as per the recommendations of a committee, we have decided to do away with the Haj subsidy gradually,” he had said.
The Haj subsidy is given to Indian pilgrims by the government in the form of discounted Air India airfares; it was started in 1954. The Haj traffic is shared by Air India and Saudia, the national carriers of India and Saudi Arabia. The monopoly of these airlines is the most controversial part as some Muslims claimed Air India is the subsidy’s real beneficiary.
Over the years, several Muslims including high-profile personalities have urged the government to withdraw the subsidy, which, though helpful, is against Islam. The Quran reportedly dictates that Haj is obligatory, solely for those who can afford it. Muslim leaders have instead suggested agreements with airlines for facilities and cheaper fares.
Last year, the government instituted a committee to evaluate the merits of the subsidy. Saved money would be used for education, welfare of Muslims. The abolished subsidy would be transferred for education and welfare of Muslims, Naqvi said. For pilgrims, it would introduce new air and waterways options to offset the rise in costs. This is part of the government’s agenda of empowerment of minorities without appeasement, he said.
Naqvi also said that the Saudi Arabian government has in principle agreed to allow Haj journey from India by ships and officials of the two countries will sit together to finalise the modalities.
There has been a mixed response to the abolishment of the subsidy. Kamal Farooqui of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board welcomed it, saying it was Air India that was actually benefitting. Journalists Shujaat Bukhari of Rising Kashmir and Sadiq S Bhat of Gulf News too tweeted in support.
The actual beneficiaries are the airlines or the operators,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said while addressing the media.
Must read Daily Horoscope : 16th January, 2018 : Dr Prem Kumar Sharma20
Must read Thanksgiving Festival of Cattle – Mattu Pongal / Kanuma
