Srinagar: The Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Thursday that India has made all preparations for the annual Haj pilgrimage to Mecca but his government will go by the decision taken by the Saudi authorities.
“While some countries are not able to send their citizens to Haj 2021, India has decided that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Govt. of Saudi Arabia, we will go ahead in line with the decision taken by the Saudi Government. Our priority continues to be the health and well-being of people of both nations and also of humanity” Naqvi said, while addressing a Press Conference at the Haj House in Mumbai on Thursday, as per an official handout.
The handout further said that the Minister said that a nationwide campaign will be launched by various social and educational institutions to curb and crush rumours and apprehension regarding the vaccination drive going on in India.
“State Haj Committees, Waqf Boards, their associated organisations, Central Waqf Council, Maulana Azad Education Foundation and other social and educational institutions will be part of the campaign,” Naqvi said, as per the statement.
Speaking about the country’s preparations for Haj 2021, Naqvi, as per the handout said that a review has been taken of the current position on vaccinations, based on directions given by the Haj Committee of India and the guidelines given by the Health Department of the Government of Saudi Arabia.
More than 2.5 million people perform the Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca every year.
It may be recalled that last year, due to Covid 19 pandemic, the Saudi Arabian Government had announced that it would hold ‘limited Haj’ confined to people of different nationalities already living in the Kingdom.
India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ausaf Sayeed; Consul General of India in Jeddah Shahid Alam and senior officials of the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs attended today’s meeting through video conferencing. The Haj Committee of India CEO M A Khan and other officials were also present, the handout read.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
