No Haj Subsidy, Will Use Those Funds to Educate Minorities: Naqvi

The decision follows a 2012 order by the Supreme Court which suggested the govt phase out the subsidy by 2022.

Indian citizens display their passports during a special drive held for Haj applicants at Regional Passport Office, Chandigarh, in 2014. 

(Photo Courtesy: passportindia.gov.in)

There will be no subsidy for Haj pilgrims this year onwards, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Tuesday, 16 January.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Naqvi told reporters that despite the subsidy withdrawal, a record number of 1.75 lakh Muslims will undertake the pilgrimage this year from India.

Haj subsidy funds will be used for the educational empowerment of girls and women from minority communities.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister, Minority Affairs 

Naqvi also said that the Saudi Arabian government has, in principle, agreed to allow Haj journey from India by sea and officials of the two countries will sit together to finalise the modalities.

"This is part of our policy to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement," Naqvi told reporters, citing a host of measures for the welfare of minorities.

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.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs

According to PTI, Naqvi had said earlier said that the Centre would abolish the subsidy for Haj pilgrims in accordance with a Supreme Court order.

Haj Committee Also Bars the Differently-Abled

The Haj Committee had also come under fire after the guidelines issued by the Haj Committee mentioned that any Indian citizen who is a Muslim “can apply for the pilgrimage, except those who do not have the mental or physical health to perform the pilgrimage, persons whose legs are amputated, who are crippled, handicapped, lunatic, or otherwise physically or mentally incapacitated.”

The National Platform for Rights of Disabled had written to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on 27 December 2017, urging him to drop the provisions which barred differently-abled persons from undertaking the annual pilgrimage.

(With inputs from PTI)

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