Explained: ‘VIP Hajj quota’ that the Modi govt has scrapped

The Centre has scrapped its ‘VIP Hajj quota’ available for persons in top constitutional posts. The Hajj, required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life, represents one of the world’s largest gatherings of people. Union minister Smriti Irani, making the announcement on Wednesday, said the step has been taken in keeping with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s aim of ending ‘VIP culture’. The Hajj, required of all able-bodied Muslims once in their life, represents one of the world’s largest gatherings of people. But what do we know about the ‘VIP hajj quota?’ Let’s take a further look: What is it? As per News18,  New Delhi and Riyadh have entered into an annual agreement for the Hajj under which Saudi Arabia allots a quota to Indians. The Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) then distributes seats. According to Daily O, around 500 persons could go to Hajj under the VIP quota through seats allocated to the president, vice-president, prime minister, minority affairs minister, and the Hajj committee. Under this quota, the president was allotted 100 seats, the vice-president allotted 75 seats, the prime minister 75 seats and the minority affairs minister 50 seats. The Hajj Committee of India itself had 200 seats. If the Centre gave all 500 persons permission to travel under this quota, it would cost the exchequer 19.5 crore, as per the website. It is this quota that has been scrapped. What next? According to India Today, all pilgrims desiring to make the trip to Hajj would have to rely on either the Hajj committee or private tour operators.

News18 quoted Irani as saying a new policy will be announced imminently.

This year, 1.75 lakh Indian pilgrims will be able to go on Hajj, the highest number in history, as per News18. Irani, making the announcement, slammed the Congress-led UPA regime. [caption id=“attachment_11838681” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Union minister Smriti Irani said the move has been made in keeping with the goal of ending VIP culture. PTI[/caption] “A decision has been take (to end discretionary quota in Haj). Prime Minister Modi had put forward his resolve to end VIP culture on the very first day of his term. VIP culture was put in place with respect to Haj during the UPA rule under which there was a special quota allocated to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Haj Committee and all those in top constitutional posts,” Irani told TV9 Bharatvarsh. India Today quoted Irani as saying that people would earlier travel under this scheme if they had connections but that now everyone has equal opportunity to go on Hajj. “Common Muslim folk wanted no discrimination when it comes to the Haj pilgrimage and now everyone will get the same opportunity,” said Irani. “We also appealed the Hajj committee to scrap the entire system of VIP quotas,” Irani added. Islam’s annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia will return to pre-pandemic levels this year after restrictions saw the annual religious commemoration curtailed over concerns about the coronavirus, authorities say. Prior to the pandemic, the pilgrimage drew millions each year to Islam’s holy city of Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that observant Muslims pray toward five times a day. In 2019, over 2.4 million people took part in the pilgrimage. But in 2020, amid the lockdowns sparked by the pandemic, Saudi Arabia drastically curtailed the hajj with as as few as 1,000 residents of Saudi Arabia permitted to take part. It was an unprecedented move unseen even during the 1918 flu epidemic that killed tens of millions worldwide. In 2021, some 60,000 residents of Saudi Arabia attended. Last year saw 1 million faithful perform the pilgrimage. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.