By TCN News,
New Delhi: The demand to withdraw Haj subsidy is now coming from unexpected quarters. Sangh Parivar has long been critical of the subsidy terming it minority appeasement. Now Muslims themselves are upping ante against it on a different ground, though. A day after Muslim MPs put the demand before External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, India’s largest Muslim organization Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind today demanded withdrawal of the Haj subsidy.
At its Haj and Awqaf Conference held in New Delhi on Tuesday March 8, Jamiat said Muslims do not need Haj subsidy. “Free us from such system that gives not peace and convenience during our holy journey to Mecca,” Maulana Mahmood Madani, MP and Jamiat general secretary said while addressing the conference. He also demanded that Indian Haj Committee be modeled on the pattern of Malaysian Haj committee that is regarded as best and is also famous for making arrangement of Haj facility for even poor daily wagers.
Maulana Mahmood Madani addressing the conference
Explaining the problems of Hajis, Maulana Madani said that although sending Haj pilgrims through lucky draw system rests with Haj committee, allotment of quota is vested with the Ministry of External Affairs “which is the mother of all troubles.” Before departure to Mecca, the Saudi Embassy starts interfering in Haj affairs. Instead of improving quality of air travel by floating tenders to hire experienced airlines some preferred airlines are given contract to transport them, which results in problems of Haj pilgrims getting increased, he said.
The conference put some other demands to streamline Haj operation:
*Increase the power of Haj committees by amending Haj Act
*Proceed forward Haj reform file which is pending with the ministry of external affairs.
*Float the tender to the best airline company for providing better facility with the cooperation of Haj committee.
*Arrangement be made for training Haj pilgrims in every state.
*Constitute a three member committee for supervising accommodation arrangement in Mecca, Madina and Mina.
A day earlier, the External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had convened a meeting of Muslim Members of Parliament to discuss the issues related to Haj operation. At the meeting, Muslim MPs cutting across political spectrum demanded withdrawal of Haj subsidy saying the government is using it as a cover-up for rampant mismanagement in Haj operation.
The Jamiat conference discussed another important issue – management of waqf properties. The conference while expressing its concern over unlawful encroachment of waqf properties, demanded implementation of Wakf Act 1995 after making suitable amendments.
“All the wakf properties be exempted from the Rent Control Act and it shouldn’t be left merely on the discretion of the bureaucrats,” the conference resolved. Jamiat president Maulana Qari Syed Mohammad Usman Mansoorpuri stressed that the Wakf Act should be suitably amended to get the wakf properties vacated as per the pattern of the Public Property Act.
Other Jamiat leaders who spoke at the conference included Maulana Hakimuddin, Maulana Siddiqullah, Hafiz Peer Shabbir, Maulana Matinul Haque Usma and Mufti Salman Mansurpuri.