DAMMAM, 21 February 2003 — As pilgrims start returning home after completing their Haj, many of them carry bitter memories of their stay here following harsh treatment at the hands of their own diplomatic mission.
The pilgrims thanked Saudi Arabia for its hospitality and Saudi officials for their sympathetic approach and excellent Haj arrangements, especially at Mina and Arafat. However, many of them were angry at their own missions for substandard accommodation and harsh behavior.
Most of the 70,000 Indian contingent complained about “the complete confusion” they faced in the matter of accommodation and “the non-cooperative attitude” of Indian mission officials.
Abdul Rahman of the Haj Welfare Forum, a voluntary organization set up by Indians, told Arab News from Makkah that this year the accommodation provided by the Indian mission in cooperation with India’s Central Haj Committee was much below standard and created a lot of problems for the pilgrims.
The CHC, in cooperation with the Indian mission, rents accommodation for the pilgrims. Normally the accommodation is divided into three categories and the rent charged accordingly. It is categorized on the basis of its distance from the Holy Haram in Makkah. The first category costs SR2,100 while second and third are worth SR1,700 and 1,400 respectively.
Many pilgrims complained that while they paid for first category so they could stay close to the Holy Haram, they were given accommodation at faraway locations. “Our accommodation was certainly not worth first category,” said a pilgrim of building No. 53.
All rented buildings were supposed to have elevators, but in accommodation No. 87 one of the three buildings was without elevator, causing immense hardship to elderly and handicapped pilgrims. In the seven-story building No. 52 the elevators would go only up to the fifth floor.
Building No. 58, which was in first category, was on top of a hill and pilgrims had to climb all the way up to reach their accommodation. It was very difficult for a wheelchair-bound pilgrim. “They had to first carry the pilgrim to the top of the hill and then the wheelchair,” Abdul Rahman said.
Many pilgrims also complained about the grouping of the pilgrims. “Many women pilgrims were grouped with strangers and accommodated away from their male relatives. This was highly irregular and created too much confusion. Many pilgrims were seen looking for their companions,” Abdul Rahman said.
There were also complaints against mutawwif and transport arrangements.
Many pilgrims and volunteers were angry over the statement of Indian Haj delegation chief, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Indian civil aviation minister, that “none of the 70,000 CHC pilgrims had any complaints.” Pilgrims say that there was no effort on the part of the delegation to find out their problems.