Hajis Return Flustered

Hajis returning from Saudi Arabia after completing their pilgrimage minced no words when complaining about the abysmal arrangements made for them by the state government there.

Most of the Hajis spoken to blamed Minority Welfare Minister Syed Ahmedullah for the sorry state of affairs in Mecca and Madina, and particularly in Mina where Hajis were required to camp for 5 days and nights.

They said that the lack of coordination between the state government and its officials deputed to serve the officials in Saudi Arabia was glaring with the haphazard arrangements there.

Haji Mohd Hussain of Azampura said that one of the Moallims (in-charge of a group of Hajis), Moallim no. 47 Mansoor Mohammed Hasan Ghazavi, had made arrangements for the camp at Mina on a hillock the size of a 10-storey building. He said that the pilgrims, particularly the elderly ones, had immense trouble commuting to and fro from the camp.

Haji Mohd Arifuddin of Aghapura echoed Hussain's complaint, and added that the camp was situated in such a place where there was no proper availability of drinking water, nor proper toilet facilities.

Patcha Sahab from Chittoor stated that the sight of officials from the Indian Haj Mission was very rare, and the Hajis were left to fend for themselves.

Patcha Sahab added that they were taken to the airport for their return flight 18 hours before the departure, and no arrangements were made to provide them food or water. To make matters worse, he said that the flight back home was further delayed by 6 hours.

Apart from the pathetic treatment of the Hajis, the arrangements by the Haj Committee for the scribes at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport spoke volumes about their administrative skills.

The scribes were not provided passes, and had to wait outside the airport terminal to cover the Hajis' return. Even the announced reduction in parking fees for all those relatives who came to welcome the returning Hajis was not available.

The pathetic arrangements by the Haj Committee at the RGIA prompted Vice-Chairman, Haj Committee of India, A Aboobucker, to say that the Haj Committee of India would issue a notice to the state body, and seek an explanation.

Aboobucker also expressed confidence that the quota of Hajis will be increased to 2 lakh from the present 1.6 lakh next year.

Courtesy: INN