According to Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s statement on Tuesday, it was for the government of Saudi Arabia to decide the date for the Haj Yatra, and it was not the responsibility of the Indian government. 

In order to respond to a mention during the Zero Hour by Trinamool Congress MP Nadimul Haque, he stated that the Haj Yatra could not be happened in the past continuously two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic in many other countries, including India. 

Furthermore, he stated that we are trying to do this year, and the Saudi administration has to decide when the pilgrimage will commence; we are all ready and prepared for this year. 

Basically, the Haj yatra is an international journey, and the government of Saudi Arabia is responsible to decides how many people will go from India,” Naqvi further said. 

He further mentioned that more than two lakh people have gone on the Haj Yatra during the time of the Modi government. 

While raising this issue, the MP Trinamool also stated that it was believed that this yatra would be commenced this year as the pandemic effects are at a minimum; he also needed to understand when the nine members from the states would be nominated to the newly constituted Haj Committee.

After that, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu asked the Minority Affairs Minister to have a consultation with Nadimul Haq for other linked issues on the Haj Committee. 

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In Islamic terminology, Hajj is a pilgrimage made to the Kaaba, the “House of God”, in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat (prayer), Zakat and Sawm (fasting of Ramadan).

“The Haj Committee of India has allocated a circular withdrawing the upper age limit to promote the elderly pilgrims to make an online application for Haj 2022,” he said. He added that pilgrims above the age of 65 are eligible to submit online applications. Those who are above 70 years can also apply.