JEDDAH, 20 February — Indians constitute nine percent of the total pilgrims performing Haj this year and are the third largest group after Indonesia and Pakistan, according to Haj Minister Iyad Madani.
“As many as 118,000 Indian pilgrims have come for Haj, of whom 7,000 are from other countries,” Madani said during a meeting with a visiting Indian Haj good will delegation, led by Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Works Ali Muhammad Sagar, at his office in Makkah yesterday.
Madani sought the cooperation of the Indian authorities for the successful implementation of the plan to control the movement of pilgrims for the stoning ritual (Rami) in order to avoid overcrowding and stampede. Sagar, who was accompanied by Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad and Consul General Syed Akbaruddin, assured Madani that Indian officials would make every effort to implement the plan.
The delegation informed Madani about the arrangements made by the government of India for the comfort and welfare of pilgrims. Madani in turn had a word of praise for the arrangements made by India which, he said, were among the best compared to many countries. Madani noted that India was the first country to enter into an agreement for this year’s Haj, “which indicates the deep interest of the Indian government in ensuring a successful Haj for its citizens.”
Asked to comment on denial of permission to All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to perform Haj, Sagar told a press conference, “the decision was taken in the larger interest of the country. The year before last when Geelani had come on Haj, there were intelligence reports that he tried to utilize his visit to garner support for his separatist agenda.” Sagar said the latest killing of members of the minority community in Jammu and Kashmir was nothing but an attempt to create a wedge between the majority Muslim and minority Hindu communities. “Such designs can never succeed and will never be allowed to succeed,” said Sagar, whose delegation consists of 16 members. The group also includes a journalist S.M. Asif, editor of “In Dinon.”
Sagar further said the pilgrimage arrangements made by the Kingdom were extensive and excellent. “I’m satisfied with the arrangements for Indian pilgrims. They are due to the efforts of embassy and consulate officials.”
Reacting to reports that some 400 people coming from far-flung towns of India had been camping in New Delhi in a desperate bid to visit the Kingdom for Haj, the ambassador explained: “The figure is highly exaggerated. There’re only 44 people who could not be permitted to come. They could not be accommodated in the last flight that left for Jeddah late Saturday night because there were not enough cancellations. These people were on the waiting list. Secondly, they all were from private tour operators who at the last moment fraudulently tried to get them accommodated in the Haj Committee quota.
After the official deadline for all Haj flights, we could not have brought anyone for Haj for two reasons — firstly, the air carrier concerned would have had to pay a large amount as penalty and, secondly, local authorities would not allow any pilgrim after the closure of the Haj Terminal.” The ambassador added that the advance of 10,500 Indian rupees paid by each such camping person had been returned.
