BOMBAY, 31 October 2003 — The federal government of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance drew strong protests from angry Muslims throughout the country for reducing Haj subsidies.
A prominent Muslim leader and Minister of Education in Maharashtra state, Anees Ahmad strongly opposed the hike in Haj air fare from Indian rupees 12,000 to 32,000 for each pilgrim. He said the massive and “totally unjustified” increase is a big blow for pilgrims.
Chairman of the Maharashtra State Haj Committee Syed Ahmed also resented the hike in the air travel subsidy and said that it was nothing but an attempt to harass Muslim pilgrims. He recalled that the Haj subsidies were first introduced by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who realized that very few Muslim pilgrims could afford the high air fare from India to Jeddah.
Ahmed said that by cutting the subsidies the NDA government was playing with Muslim sensibilities. He refuted government claims that the new Haj travel rules were being put into effect due to the high rate of Haj subsidies which had crossed the rupees two billion mark. “It is a distorted figure,” he claimed.
Asked about the rule that income tax paying pilgrims should not avail of the subsidies as they were meant for poor pilgrims, Ahmed said, “Everything is distorted to suit the government. It is an attempt to harass the pilgrims, particularly the poor who are now asked to provide affidavits to avail the subsidies. The government system has collapsed,” he said. The rules should not be implemented, Ahmed added.
Muslim organizations and leaders have opposed the new rules, “which will only help private tour operators to make money.”
Writer-director Mujeeb Khan also criticized the NDA government for harassing Indian Haj pilgrims by reducing the subsidies and said that such actions only proved its bias toward the minority community. He questioned the government’s double standards, saying it was spending millions of rupees on Hindu cultural and religious festivals. Why is it being unjust with Muslims? he asked.
