Nepalese Hajj Committee to Send Only 800 Pilgrims This Year
The Central Hajj Committee (CHC) in Nepal has courted controversy once again by deciding to send only 800 Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina this year.
The CHC, the government body that manages the Hajj for the Nepali Muslims, maintains that Saudi Arabia has asked them to send only 800 pilgrims. But a letter acquired by Republica reveals that the original quota fixed for Nepal stands at 1,200.
"The quota fixed and decided for Nepal stands 1,200. Due to some domestic problems, however, we have fixed and decided that the number of pilgrims (Nepali Citizens) coming from Nepal to complete Hajj in the period of the year 2013 will be 1,000," read the letter issued by the Saudi government to the CHC.
But the CHC argues that the quota was later slashed by 20 percent.
"We did get an instruction from the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Kathmandu to allow only 800 pilgrims. Previously they had fixed 1,000 Nepali pilgrims for the Hajj. But due to heavy construction works there, the Saudi government later asked us informally (through a phone call) to deduct the quota of Nepal by 20 per cent," said CHC Chairperson Ali Akbar.
He further said that the Saudi government has reduced of the quota by 20 per cent for all the countries across the world.
But the stakeholders remain skeptic.
"The CHC has reduced the number of Hajji, the Muslim pilgrims, for this year out of ill intention-as in the previous years. If the government of Saudi Arabia has allocated 1,000 seats, why then are they allowing only 800 pilgrims?" quipped Sannuallah Nadvi, the Imam at Nepali Jama Mosque, Kathmandu.
He further accused the members of CHC of trying to play politics with the Islam, adding that the CHC was allowing only their near and dear ones and those recommended by various to go for the Hajj.
"I strongly demand that all those who have applied for the Hajj through the CHC be allowed to go to Mecca and Medina," Nadvi further added.
The Muslim scholars and activists observe that every year CHC is mired in controversy as the activity of CHC is not transparent.
"Chairperson of the CHC is a political appointee and the whole committee is dominated by politicians," said Ghulam Rasul, Chairman of Islamic Sangh Nepal. He further said that the committee never consulted any Islamic scholars in the entire decision-making process.
Meanwhile, the CHC has informed that altogether 1,057 people have applied for the annual pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina this year.
"We will go for a lucky draw on Monday and will select 800 out of 1,020 applications," Mikrani said, adding that they have cancelled 37 forms as 10 of them had already visited Hajj last year, 17 fielded the forms by crossing the deadline and the remaining 10 were not medically fit.
However, he could not elaborate that on which ground the committee declared 10 applicants as medically unfit.
Mikrani further said that altogether 809 Nepali Muslims will go for the Hajj this year, including nine officials appointed by the CHC.
The government of Nepal will bear the entire expenditure of the nine officials go to Mecca and Medina to assist the Nepali pilgrims, Mikrani added.
"Among the nine delegates, two are doctors and seven are from the CHC, including myself," he further informed.
The pilgrims will leave for Saudi Arabia on September 25 and the Hajj will continue till September 30.
Meanwhile, a Central committee member of the CPN (UML), Seraj Farooqui, has voiced concern over the high air fares being charged to the Hajjis.
Insisting that the air ticket for Saudi Arabia normally costs Rs 22,000, he added that the fare is being increased during the Hajj period.
"The Nepali pilgrims will have to bear NRS 83,000 for air fare this year," he complained.
Source: Republica
"The quota fixed and decided for Nepal stands 1,200. Due to some domestic problems, however, we have fixed and decided that the number of pilgrims (Nepali Citizens) coming from Nepal to complete Hajj in the period of the year 2013 will be 1,000," read the letter issued by the Saudi government to the CHC.
But the CHC argues that the quota was later slashed by 20 percent.
"We did get an instruction from the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Kathmandu to allow only 800 pilgrims. Previously they had fixed 1,000 Nepali pilgrims for the Hajj. But due to heavy construction works there, the Saudi government later asked us informally (through a phone call) to deduct the quota of Nepal by 20 per cent," said CHC Chairperson Ali Akbar.
He further said that the Saudi government has reduced of the quota by 20 per cent for all the countries across the world.
But the stakeholders remain skeptic.
"The CHC has reduced the number of Hajji, the Muslim pilgrims, for this year out of ill intention-as in the previous years. If the government of Saudi Arabia has allocated 1,000 seats, why then are they allowing only 800 pilgrims?" quipped Sannuallah Nadvi, the Imam at Nepali Jama Mosque, Kathmandu.
He further accused the members of CHC of trying to play politics with the Islam, adding that the CHC was allowing only their near and dear ones and those recommended by various to go for the Hajj.
"I strongly demand that all those who have applied for the Hajj through the CHC be allowed to go to Mecca and Medina," Nadvi further added.
The Muslim scholars and activists observe that every year CHC is mired in controversy as the activity of CHC is not transparent.
"Chairperson of the CHC is a political appointee and the whole committee is dominated by politicians," said Ghulam Rasul, Chairman of Islamic Sangh Nepal. He further said that the committee never consulted any Islamic scholars in the entire decision-making process.
Meanwhile, the CHC has informed that altogether 1,057 people have applied for the annual pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina this year.
"We will go for a lucky draw on Monday and will select 800 out of 1,020 applications," Mikrani said, adding that they have cancelled 37 forms as 10 of them had already visited Hajj last year, 17 fielded the forms by crossing the deadline and the remaining 10 were not medically fit.
However, he could not elaborate that on which ground the committee declared 10 applicants as medically unfit.
Mikrani further said that altogether 809 Nepali Muslims will go for the Hajj this year, including nine officials appointed by the CHC.
The government of Nepal will bear the entire expenditure of the nine officials go to Mecca and Medina to assist the Nepali pilgrims, Mikrani added.
"Among the nine delegates, two are doctors and seven are from the CHC, including myself," he further informed.
The pilgrims will leave for Saudi Arabia on September 25 and the Hajj will continue till September 30.
Meanwhile, a Central committee member of the CPN (UML), Seraj Farooqui, has voiced concern over the high air fares being charged to the Hajjis.
Insisting that the air ticket for Saudi Arabia normally costs Rs 22,000, he added that the fare is being increased during the Hajj period.
"The Nepali pilgrims will have to bear NRS 83,000 for air fare this year," he complained.
Source: Republica
