By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The rightist Bharatiya Janata Party ruled central Indian province Madhya Pradesh Government will hold an international contest for designing Bhopal Hajj House. The architect whose design is selected as the best will be presented an award of Rs. 100,000 by the state government.
The above announcement was made by the Madhya Pradesh Backward Classes & Minority Welfare and Animal Husbandry Minister Mr. Ajay Vishnoi when a delegation of prominent Muslims of Bhopal led by social activist Mr. Mohammad Aslam Khan called on the minister to thank him for earmarking land for the Hajj House in the city. The delegation expressed gratitude to the minister for taking initiative to fulfill their long pending demand for Hajj pilgrims of the state.
Mr. Ajay Vishnoi said that after the earmarking of two acre of land at Singar Choli at the foothills near the Raja Bhoj Bhopal airport as the first step the Madhya Pradesh Government would invite designs from architects from all over the country and even abroad, to hold a competition for designing the Hajj House. The best designed Hajj House would be selected and approved for construction and the designer will be presented an award of Rs. 100,000 for his/her design.
He thanked the delegation for boosting his morale by their gesture. He said before taking up the project of Hajj Houses at Bhopal and Indore he visited the Hajj House at Lucknow to have firsthand knowledge about the requirements needed in any Hajj House and as such he now knows the entire details of the infrastructure necessary for it.
Mr. Vishnoi said Bhopal Hajj House which will be built would be equipped with all modern facilities and it would be much better as compared to Hajj Houses of other states. He informed that Rs. 5 crore has been sanctioned for the preliminary works before the start of actual construction of it. After the allocation of funds in the state budget of 2012-13 the construction would start likely in March this year. Next year again budget allocation would be made for the Hajj House which is expected to be completed within two years time, he added.
He revealed that an exclusive approach road would be constructed from the National Highway to the Hajj House. This would not disturb the tranquility of the residents residing in nearby colonies during the departure and arrival of hajjis in Hajj season, he added.
It seems now that the long awaited demand of Madhya Pradesh Muslims for Hajj Houses is most likely to be fulfilled with the earmarking of land at Bhopal and process underway on priority basis to locate land at Indore.
On the occasion, Mr. Vishnoi claimed that Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh in a conference of state chief ministers of the country appreciated the works being done in the state Madarsas conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Madarsa Board saying it as the best. He said that even the Union Government is lauding the welfare works undertaken in the state under the guidance of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mr. Shivraj Singh Chouhan. From time to time, the Union Government has praised the works being undertaken for minorities’ welfare in Madhya Pradesh and has written to other states to emulate Madhya Pradesh.
The delegation comprised of Mr. Mohammad Aslam Khan, Mr. Mushahid Saeed, Mr. Syed Mahboob Hasan, Mr. Shahid Aleem, Mr. Mohammad Bashir Khan, Mr. Shahwar Mohammad Khan, Mr. Mohammad Humanyu Khan, Mr. Mohammad Aslam, Mr. Syed Tahir Ali, Mr. Syed Imran Ali, Mr. Rizwan Ansari and others. ([email protected])