By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kozhikode: Kerala government yesterday requested the central government to provide the state 5000 seats from the extra Hajj quota allowed to the country by the Saudi Arabia government. Paloli Muhammed Kutty, state minister in charge of Hajj affairs, has reportedly sent emergency letters in the regard to the central ministry in charge of Hajj affairs as well as the External Affairs Department.
Kerala has the most number of Hajj applicants after Uttar Pradesh. There are more than 3000 applicants who have not been selected for Hajj consecutively for the last three years. Among the 31, 700 applicants who have not been selected for Hajj this year, 3200 are above 65 years of age. So, the minister reportedly said in his letter, the central government should allow at least 5000 seats to Kerala from the extra quota. He reminded that the state government and the Kerala Hajj Committee have been requesting the centre for a just opportunity for Kerala in Hajj.
Shashi Tharoor, former minister in charge of Hajj affairs in the central government, had requested the Saudi government to allow 25,000 more persons from the country to offer the Hajj this year. The Saudi government then got ready to allow 10,000 extra quota for the country. Kerala has now demanded 5000 seats in this extra quota.