By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: As the devastation caused by the flood has altered the very idea of normal life in the northeastern Bihar, it has also dimmed the hope of Muslims in the region to go on Haj this year. That’s why the Haj Committee of India is considering some relaxation for the affected districts.
Even after 19 days since the flood hit the region that constitutes around 50 lakh Muslims, the situation is such that lakhs of people are living in the relief camps. Their belongings have been swept away by the calamity.
The 50 lakh Muslim population in the affected districts including Saharsa, Supaul, Araria, Madhepura and Katihar is about 33% of the total Muslim population in the state.
The total number of Haj applicants from Bihar this year is 5429, of which 1771 are from the flood affected districts.
Flood-hit districts No. of Hajis Male- female ratio
Supaul 71 48-23
Madhepura 33 17-16
Saharsa 108 69-39
Bhagalpur 238 130-108
Purnia 346 229-117
Katihar 274 185- 89
Araria 463 293-170
Kishanganj 238 187-51
The time when the flood hit the area the Hajis would be doing preparation for their holy journey to Makkah and Madinah for Haj which would be performed in mid-December.
As far as the official formality is concerned, it is time for the submission of last installment of money for the pilgrimage in the offices of Haj Committee in every state capital.
As the first Haj flight is scheduled for October 26, September 30 was fixed as last date for deposit of the amount (Rs 70,000). But the destruction brought about by the flood has also hampered the prospect of Haj pilgrimage for the Muslims in the region.
TwoCircles.net talked to Iftikhar Hassan, Chief Executive Officer of Bihar Haj Committee on how the flood affected Muslims who are living in relief camps can be expected to meet the deadline of September 30th to deposit the amount.
He said, “In view of the continued devastation in the flood affected areas which are also the minority dominated areas of the state, the state Haj Committee has recommended the Haj Committee of India (HCI) to extend the date of submission of money by 15 days from September 30th to October 15, 2008.”
In reply to his recommendation HCI has informed him that the extension of dates may not be possible for the whole state but it assured him that the date will be extended by 15 days for the affected region.
But he said that he is yet to receive any official notification from the HCI in this regard.
TwoCircles.net also contacted Md. Owais, the CEO of HCI, and asked him about the decision of the HCI about the extension of the date for the flood affected region.
He informed: “We will certainly be extending the dates but it would be applicable only to the flood affected regions of Bihar. There is no question of extending it to the whole sate.”
When told that the Bihar Haj Committee hasn’t yet received any official notification in this matter, he said that they did not ask it for the flood affected regions only. They have apparently asked for the whole state which is not possible.
He further said: “I have asked the Bihar Haj Committee to specifically mention the names of the districts affected by the flood for which the extension of dates would be applicable.”
To know the practical effects of the flood on the Haj pilgrims, TCN talked to Dr. Shoukat Ali, one of the trainers of the Haj pilgrims from the state. He said: “This year because of the flood has changed everything. People will be able to perform Haj only when they will lead a normal life. Here the situation is that everything including the relevant papers has lost. Leave this issue, the fact is that most of the people have been reduced to penury. How the government or you expect that they will be able to continue to lead a normal life even when they are in relief camps.”
TCN tried to contact some Haj pilgrims from Supaul. But the situation is that in most of the cases phones were swept away by flood, or by coming in water’s contact it stopped working.
So before the government or the concerned officials take any action or decision in this regard, they should keep in view the extent of disaster and devastation that the flood has created in the lives of affected people.