Scrap it, say Majlis; set up fund, say others

Andhra Pradesh, which successfully ran a similar subsidised religious trip to Israel for Christians for two years before the apex court intervened, has more or less reacted positively to the Supreme Court’s direction on phasing out of subsidy for Haj.

“A major chunk of  Haj subsidy of Rs 600 crore goes to public sector Air India and not to pilgrims. This Rs. 600 crore should be invested in education of minority girls because their education access is very low,” observed Asaduddin Owaisi, MP, of Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen representing Hyderabad..

Owaisi, who represents the vociferous section of Muslims who are perceived as mostly fanatic with regard to the implementation of shariat, has been opposing the Haj subsidy in various forums and had recommended this in Parliament as well. “We welcome it, why wait 10 years, it should be stopped immediately,” he said outside Parliament.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh State Haj Committee, which is busy drawing lots for this year’s pilgrimage, also welcomed the Apex court’s direction. “We can only reflect the government’s point of view, and we have to implement what ever the government decides,” said Syed Khaleeluddin Ahmad, Chairman of the APSHC. However, he said that 10 years was a long period and things could change in a decade.

Khaleeluddin opines that the Muslims might not feel the pinch of it as they do not perceive the trip to Mecca as a burden but an opportunity that they so eagerly wait for.

“We are a very proud people and we do not want government support to fulfill our religious obligations. Insha Allah, if the almighty wants it, we will make it,” said Mohammad Arif at the Haj House, waiting for the results of this year’s Qurrah (draw of lots ).

Not every one is happy about the inevitable lifting of the subsidy. “In coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, Muslims are poor and cannot afford paying the total cost of the travel,” said Lal Jan Basha, a former Telugu Desam Party MLA from Guntur district. A fund could be set up to help poor Muslims to do the holy pilgrimage, he said.

Shortfall in quota

There is a shortfall of 373 seats in the Haj quota for Andhra Pradesh this year. The Haj Committee of India has allotted a quota of 5,764 for the State as against 6,137 last year.

However, compared to the original quota of 5,566 based on percentage of Muslim population in the State, this year there is a slight increase of 198.

Last year,  Andhra Pradesh state got more quota after redistribution of leftover quota from other States since the number of applicants were 2.80 lakh from all over  the country. But this year the figure is a staggering 3.10 lakh and, hence, the shortfall in quota, officials say. This will be a big disappointment to the intending pilgrims since a record 15,334 persons have applied for Haj this year.

Court has no right

While a majority of Muslim scholars and clerics have welcomed the Supreme Court's order on abolition of the Haj subsidy in phases, many in the UP Haj Committee feel that the order would have an adverse impact on the poor Muslims desiring to go on Haj pilgrimage.

The state Haj Committee is currently without a chairman and the minister for Haj Azam Khan, a vocal critic of the Congress-led UPA government at the centre, is looking after the affairs of the committee as well.

While the officials of the state Haj committee refused to react to the apex court judgement saying that they were not ‘authorised’ to speak, they did express their reservations against the order.

“Leave alone the poor Muslims, even middle income pilgrims cannot afford the cost of travel which is artifically jacked up during Haj,” they argue.

Well known shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad has also opposed the judgement. “The court has no right to rule on such matters...how will majority of the Muslims go for Haj?” the maulana sought to know from the court.

A senior Muslim minister in the state also strongly opposed the decision. “It is not in the interest of the Muslim pilgrims...the muslims feel let down by the order,” the minister remarked preferring anonymity.

The minister blamed the centre for the apex court judgement. “The centre did not plead the case forcefully....in fact it was in favour of abolishing the subsidy so it did not take any interest in the matter'', he said.

The majority, however, favour the ruling. Sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangimahali welcomed the order saying that it should have been abolished long back.

Haj pilgrimage should be undertaken with one’s own money and not with funds taken from other sources, the clerics said.

No wait list here

With no wait list for Haj pilgrims in Gujarat, the pilgrims and the members of the Haj committee have welcomed the decision of doing away with subsidy.  There are as many as 12,000 Haj pilgrims from the state and of this 6,000 to 7,000 go through the Haj committee.

“The Haj committee on its part has been recommending this to the government that doing away with the subsidy would be a welcome step,’’ said Zuber Goplani, who has been assisting the committee for a decade now.  “Once the subsidy is done away, there would be more pilgrims as it would end up being cheaper for the pilgrims,’’ said Goplani
G H Khan of the Haj committee said pilgrims above the age of 70 are given preference and they feel that doing away with the subsidy would mean that they could approach travel agents directly and make travel for Haj easier.

“The pilgrims are not aware which part of the pilgrimage is subsidised by ministry of external affairs and blindly apply through the Haj committees. If the subsidy is done away with, then the pilgrims can get much more competitive air fares on both domestic and international flights which they are not aware of now,” said Khan.

DH team / J B S Umanadh in Hyderabad, Sanjay Pandey in Lucknow, Swati Bhan in Ahmedabad.

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