Haj and India - Revision history

Jyoti: /* The Hajj: a backgrounder */

2023-07-28T06:14:29Z

‎The Hajj: a backgrounder

Jyoti at 06:14, 28 July 2023

2023-07-28T06:14:01Z

Jyoti: /* Annual Haj quota */

2023-07-15T11:32:37Z

‎Annual Haj quota

Jyoti: /* Government panel: women above 45 be allowed on Haj without men */

2020-10-18T22:21:51Z

‎Government panel: women above 45 be allowed on Haj without men

Jyoti: /* 2018: actual numbers */

2019-02-10T05:33:06Z

‎2018: actual numbers

Jyoti: /* 2019: */

2019-02-10T05:25:42Z

‎2019:

Jyoti at 05:23, 10 February 2019

2019-02-10T05:23:09Z

Jyoti: /* 2018: 1,75,025 */

2018-08-25T20:29:00Z

‎2018: 1,75,025

Jyoti: /* Annual Haj quota */

2018-01-18T05:31:19Z

‎Annual Haj quota

Jyoti: /* January 2017: An increase */

2018-01-11T10:55:16Z

‎January 2017: An increase

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 =The Hajj: a backgrounder=
-[https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/hajj-pilgrimage-muslims-8686512/ AP, ''The Indian Express'']
+[https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/life-style/hajj-pilgrimage-muslims-8686512/ AP, June 26, 2023: ''The Indian Express'']
@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 The final days of Hajj coincide with Eid al-Adha, or the festival of sacrifice, a joyous occasion celebrated by Muslims around the world to commemorate Ibrahim’s test of faith. During the three-day Eid, Muslims slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to the poor.
 =Age limit reduced to 2 years =

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← Older revision		Revision as of 11:32, 15 July 2023
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	He said the government was tightening its leash on private tour operators who will now have to disclose every detail on a portal. “The PTOs will have to disclose details regarding those they are ferrying, rental costs and total expenditure. We have even blacklisted some tour operators,” he said.		He said the government was tightening its leash on private tour operators who will now have to disclose every detail on a portal. “The PTOs will have to disclose details regarding those they are ferrying, rental costs and total expenditure. We have even blacklisted some tour operators,” he said.
		+
		+	=The law / court judgments=
		+	==A religious practice and not a vacation\ 2023, HC==
		+	[https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/haj-travel-is-not-mere-holiday-but-falls-within-ambit-of-religious-practice-delhi-hc-8680362/ Malavika Prasad, June 22, 2023: ''The Indian Express'']
		+
		+
		+	The Delhi High Court has observed that Haj pilgrimage falls within the ambit of a religious practice, which is protected by the Constitution of India, while staying the suspension of registration certificates and quota of several private Haj Group Organisers.
		+
		+	A single-judge bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh in its June 7 order said, “Haj Pilgrimage and the ceremonies involved therein fall within the ambit of a religious practice, which is protected by the Constitution of India. Religious freedoms are one of the most cherished rights guaranteed and enshrined under the Constitution in line with the vision of the founding fathers of the Modern Indian Republic. The religious freedom of the person is guaranteed by the Constitution of India under Article 25”.
		+
		+	The order was passed in a batch of pleas moved by over 13 Haj Group Organisers (HGOs) who had challenged the suspension of the Registration Certificate and Quota of the HGOs as published on May 25 in the “Consolidated List of Allocation of Haj quota for Haj-2023” by the Centre. They had also challenged a Show Cause Notice subsequently issued against some of the petitioner/HGOs on May 26 by the Centre. The HC was hearing interim applications moved by the HGOs in their main writ petitions.
		+
		+	It had been alleged by the Centre that the registration of the petitioner HGOs has been suspended due to their “wilful misrepresentation and misreporting of facts” to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, based on which they were registered as HGOs in the first place. It was submitted that the Ministry shall have the right to suspend/cancel the registration in case of non-compliance of any of the terms and conditions.
		+
		+	The court said that at this stage, it is primarily concerned with the “pilgrims who intend to travel on Haj Pilgrimage and have paid in advance to the petitioners for the same”. “Travelling to Haj is not merely a holiday but is a medium of practicing their religion and faith which is a fundamental right. This Court being the protector of the right of the pilgrims shall take the necessary steps in this regard. Accordingly, to ensure that the pilgrims are not obstructed from completing their journey and undertake Haj, the comments in the consolidated list of allocation of Haj Quota for HAJ-2023 issued on 25th May, 2023 by the respondent which reads as “Registration Certificate & Quota Kept in abeyance till finalization of proceedings in complaint related matter” is stayed,” Justice Singh said.
		+
		+	The court further directed the Centre to ensure that the pilgrims who have been affected by the defaults on the part of the petitioner HGOs, do not suffer and are able to undertake the Haj Pilgrimage without any obstruction. “The respondents may proceed with the investigation in pursuance of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner,” the HC said, while listing the main pleas on August 3.
		+
		+	The HC said that evidently the Registration and allocation of Haj Quota to private tour operators is subject to certain terms and conditions for registration as HGOs. The registration of HGOs not found to be complying with the HGO Policy is liable to be cancelled, the court said.
		+
		+	Perusing through the terms and conditions the HC said that the same makes it clear that registration of the HGOs is an “absolute right rather than a privileged right” that is bestowed upon the concerned HGO based on the fulfilment of certain conditions as laid out under the HGO Policy.
		+
		+	The HC after considering the arguments was of the “prima facie opinion” that although restrictions and conditions to the issuance of the Registration Certificate as well as to the Quota allotted to the petitioners/HGOs may be imposed, the same “should not be held against the pilgrims who, in good faith, registered with the petitioners/HGOs to undertake the pilgrimage”. “This Court is of the view that such an action would defeat the purpose of the current Haj Policy and is in derogation of Article 25 of the Constitution of India,” Justice Singh said.
		+
		+	The court also noted that the Haj Committee of India has been mandated to make arrangements for 1,40,000 pilgrims for Haj 2023 as per their guidelines based on the quota allocated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The court said that Haj pilgrimage is a five-day religious pilgrimage to Mecca and nearby Holy places in Saudi Arabia and as per “the Holy Quran, all Muslims who are physically and financially sound must perform the Haj pilgrimage at least once in their lives”.
		+
		+	The HC further noted that the Haj pilgrimage is undertaken by thousands of pilgrims from India annually and every year a bilateral treaty is executed between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As per this, a quota of some pilgrims is allotted to India and the pilgrimage can be undertaken either through the Haj Committee of India or the HGOs. HGOs usually act as tour operators for pilgrims, and provide a complete package right from the start of the journey from various places in India to Saudi Arabia, covering their accommodation in Saudi Arabia, arranging and making available food, transportation in Saudi Arabia, providing foreign exchange in the form of Saudi Riyals and their return to India. The majority of Haj pilgrims are taken care of by the Haj Committee, and only a limited number of pilgrims can undertake the Haj pilgrimage through HGOs as per the quota of the respective HGO, the court noted.
		+
		+	The Centre filed an appeal against this order of the single bench pertaining to one of the HGOs before a division bench of the HC which on June 12 issued notice and listed the matter in July. The Centre thereafter moved the SC against the division bench order and on June 19 a vacation bench of the SC, did not deem it necessary to entertain the same observing that the matter before the HC was listed in July and “all the issues raised herein can be effectively raised before the High Court”.
		+
		+	[[Category:Gender issues\|H HAJ AND INDIA
		+	HAJ AND INDIA]]
		+	[[Category:India\|H HAJ AND INDIA
		+	HAJ AND INDIA]]
		+	[[Category:Pages with broken file links\|HAJ AND INDIA]]
		+	[[Category:Religion\|H HAJ AND INDIA
		+	HAJ AND INDIA]]

	=Subsidy from the government=		=Subsidy from the government=

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:21, 18 October 2020
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	'''PM: No lottery system for single woman'''		'''PM: No lottery system for single woman'''
		+
		+	== 86% unaccompanied women from Kerala/ 2019==
		+	[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F04%2F20&entity=Ar00103&sk=D9CA66E0&mode=text Ambika Pandit, April 20, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+	[[File: The number of Indian women who applied to perform Haj unaccompanied in 2019.jpg\| The number of Indian women who applied to perform Haj unaccompanied in 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F04%2F20&entity=Ar00103&sk=D9CA66E0&mode=text Ambika Pandit, April 20, 2019: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]
		+
		+	86% Indian women who’ll go on Haj without male companion from Kerala
		+
		+
		+
		+	Freshly released government data show that 86% of Muslim women who will travel from India to Saudi Arabia for the Haj pilgrimage without a male companion ( mehram)this year are from Kerala.
		+
		+
		+
		+	Of 2,340 Muslim women going to Saudi, 2,011 are from the southern state.
		+
		+	More women than men have applied for Haj from Kerala. In all, there are more than 11,000 pilgrims from the state — 6,959 women (with or without mehram) and 4,513 men.
		+
		+	Last year, a change in government rules allowed women above 45 years of age to travel in groups of four for Haj without being accompanied by a male companion, and Muslim women from Kerala seem to have taken advantage of this.
		+
		+	Last year saw a similar trend, when 1,124 out of 1,340 women who undertook the pilgrimage without a male companion came from Kerala. A Kerala Haj Committee official attributed the high number of women travelling alone to various factors, among them literacy and gender parity. The decision to enable women to travel without a male companion forms part of the Haj policy for 2018-22.
		+
		+	The data for this category throws up an interesting trend. While the number of women from Kerala is 2,011, much larger states like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have very few women travelling without a man — 99 and 39, respectively.
		+
		+	There are 37 applicants from Tamil Nadu, 31 from Maharashtra, 27 from Madhya Pradesh, 26 from Rajasthan and 23 from Karnataka. Delhi has 12 applicants, while Bihar has nine, Assam eight, Jharkhand five and Chhattisgarh four. The oldest woman embarking on Haj this year is 87 years old. There are two more octogenarians, aged 80 and 82 years.
		+
		+
		+
		+
		+	''' Highest number of Indians at Haj this yr '''
		+
		+	This year’s pilgrimage is likely to see the highest number of Indians, with Saudi Arabia issuing a formal order to enhance India’s Haj quota from 1.75 lakh to 2 lakh. In a meeting in February, the kingdom had agreed to hike the country’s Haj quota.
		+
		+	[[Category:Gender issues\|H
		+	HAJ AND INDIA]]
		+	[[Category:India\|H
		+	HAJ AND INDIA]]
		+	[[Category:Religion\|H
		+	HAJ AND INDIA]]

@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 [[File: How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018.jpg|How many people went for Haj from India, as in 2018 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F07%2F16&entity=Ar01213&sk=11BAFB1B&mode=text  July 16, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-''' See graphic ‘'':
+'''See graphic''':
-'' How many people went for Haj from India, as in 2018 ''
+''How many people went for Haj from India, as in 2018''
 ==Feb 2019: number of applications- 1,75,000==

@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 '' How many people went for Haj from India, as in 2018 ''
-==2019: ==
+==Feb 2019: number of applications- 1,75,000==
 [https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-set-to-overtake-pakistan-in-number-of-haj-pilgrims-naqvi/article26226774.ece  Suyash Karangutkar, India set to overtake Pakistan in number of Haj pilgrims: Naqvi, Februay 9, 2019: ''The Hindu'']
 [[File: 1,75,025 Muslims went for Haj from India, as in 2018. A comparison with number of applicants in 2019 in the above graphic; Amount people from various cities will save on air fare in 2019.jpg|1,75,025 Muslims went for Haj from India, as in 2018. A comparison with number of applicants in 2019 in the above graphic; <br/> Amount people from various cities will save on air fare in 2019 <br/> From: [https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-set-to-overtake-pakistan-in-number-of-haj-pilgrims-naqvi/article26226774.ece  Suyash Karangutkar, India set to overtake Pakistan in number of Haj pilgrims: Naqvi, Februay 9, 2019: ''The Hindu'']|frame|500px]]
-'''50% of applicants this year are women: Minister'''
+'''50% of applicants are women in 2019: Minister'''
 Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said that India is likely to overtake Pakistan in terms of the number of pilgrims sent for Haj pilgrimage this year.

@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 ===2018: actual numbers===
-[[File: How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018.jpg|How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F07%2F16&entity=Ar01213&sk=11BAFB1B&mode=text  July 16, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+[[File: How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018.jpg|How many people went for Haj from India, as in 2018 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F07%2F16&entity=Ar01213&sk=11BAFB1B&mode=text  July 16, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
 ''' See graphic ‘'':
-'' How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018 ''
+'' How many people went for Haj from India, as in 2018 ''
 =Subsidy from the government=

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:29, 25 August 2018
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	Naqvi said for the first time, around 1,300 women from India will go to Haj without mahram (male companion) this year as they will be exempted from lottery system. Saudi Arabia has also approved India’s decision to revive the option of sending pilgrims through sea route too.		Naqvi said for the first time, around 1,300 women from India will go to Haj without mahram (male companion) this year as they will be exempted from lottery system. Saudi Arabia has also approved India’s decision to revive the option of sending pilgrims through sea route too.
		+
		+	===2018: actual numbers===
		+	[[File: How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018.jpg\|How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F07%2F16&entity=Ar01213&sk=11BAFB1B&mode=text July 16, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]
		+
		+	''' See graphic ‘'':
		+
		+	'' How many people go for Haj from India, as in 2018 ''

	=Subsidy from the government=		=Subsidy from the government=

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:31, 18 January 2018
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	Naqvi said for the first time, around 1,300 women from India will go to Haj without mahram (male companion) this year as they will be exempted from lottery system. Saudi Arabia has also approved India’s decision to revive the option of sending pilgrims through sea route too.		Naqvi said for the first time, around 1,300 women from India will go to Haj without mahram (male companion) this year as they will be exempted from lottery system. Saudi Arabia has also approved India’s decision to revive the option of sending pilgrims through sea route too.
		+
		+	=Subsidy from the government=
		+	==2018: government stops the subsidy==
		+	[[File: The phased reduction of the Haj subsidy, 2012-17.jpg\|The phased reduction of the Haj subsidy, 2012-17 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F01%2F17&entity=Ar00304&sk=B7691F67&mode=text January 17, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]
		+
		+	[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F01%2F17&entity=Ar00304&sk=B7691F67&mode=text January 17, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+
		+	'''Haj subsidy ends, funds to go into minority education'''
		+
		+	In keeping with SC orders and its own political plank, the Modi government will no longer provide subsidy to Haj pilgrims and has pledged that funds saved will be used for the education of minorities, particularly girls.
		+
		+	“There will be no subsidy for Haj from this year,” minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, adding the move is part of an effort to “empower minorities without appeasement”. The decision is a political signal too, as BJP has argued that the subsidy, essentially for air travel, is a demonstrative sop for Muslims and a diversion of funds that might be better utilised.
		+
		+	Significantly, the decision did not evoke a protest from Congress, which maintained it has no objections to the end of the subsidy as long as the funds were utilised for minority welfare.
		+
		+	'''‘Haj savings’ to go into edu: Govt'''
		+
		+	BJP functionaries, however, emphasised that Congress had shown no urgency to act on the matter when it was in office after the Supreme Court ruled in May 2012 that the subsidy be eliminated in 10 years. While subsidies have been dismantled, a record number of 1.75 lakh Muslims will go on the Haj pilgrimage this year, Naqvi said and claimed that this will be the highest number since Independence.
		+
		+	The government will invest what it saves for minority education. It had spent over Rs 250 crore last year on subsidising the travel to Saudi Arabia, he said. Restrictions on pilgrims having to take flights from their place of stay or nearest airports have been relaxed and this will lead to cheaper air travel, Naqvi said. It will also allow Haj travellers to take advantage of bulk bookings while the government will continue to spend on medical expenses.
		+
		+	The decision to end the subsidy for Haj pilgrims follows a 2012 Supreme Court order to do away with the subsidy, long sought by BJP. Following the order, the subsidy was gradually rolled back and has now ended.
		+
		+	Naqvi said that allowing the choice of embarkation port gives pilgrims the option of cheaper travel.
		+
		+	The Saudi Arabian government has agreed to allow Indians to go on Haj by the sea route and officials of the two countries will work out the modalities, the minister said.

	=Women for Haj=		=Women for Haj=

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:55, 11 January 2018
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	The government started issuing Haj applications from January 2. The last date for submission of applications is January 24.		The government started issuing Haj applications from January 2. The last date for submission of applications is January 24.
		+
		+	==2018: 1,75,025==
		+	[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F01%2F10&entity=Ar01714&sk=7EE7D9A4&mode=text Mohammed Wajihuddin, Saudi hikes India’s Haj quota by 5,000, January 10, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+
		+	''Saudi Arabia has increased India’s Haj quota by 5000, taking it to 1,75,025, the highest since Independence.''
		+
		+	Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who signed the bilateral annual Haj (2018) agreement with the Saudi authorities a few days ago, credited the increase in Haj quota, for the consecutive second year, to PM Modi’s popularity with the Saudi regime, especially the Saudi monarch Salman bin Abdul Aziz al Saud.
		+
		+	“Last year, Saudi Arabia had increased India’s Haj quota by 35,000 and this year they have increased it by 5,000. PM Modi’s popularity with the Saudi authorities has helped us get this increase which will help us allow more pilgrims to proceed for Haj this year,” said Naqvi.
		+
		+	In 2017, India’s Haj quota was I,70,025 out of which 1,25,000 went through the Haj Committee of India while 45,000 chose private tour operators (PTOs). Now with the 5,000 increase in the quota, even the PTOs are expecting increase in their share of the quota and feel elated.
		+
		+	“It is welcome news. The demand is three times more than the seats available to PTOs,” said Yusuf Kherada of Al Khalid Tours and Travels, a leading PTO.
		+
		+	For the Haj 2018, the Haj Committee has received around 3,55,000 applications. This year there is no reservation for those who have applied for the fourth time.
		+
		+	Naqvi said for the first time, around 1,300 women from India will go to Haj without mahram (male companion) this year as they will be exempted from lottery system. Saudi Arabia has also approved India’s decision to revive the option of sending pilgrims through sea route too.

	=Women for Haj=		=Women for Haj=