Don’t play politics over Haj, Kiren Rijiju tells Opposition after govt statement
Kiren Rijiju also asked the private operators to meet the new deadline to avail the 10,000 Haj quota granted by Saudi Arabia as a special gesture
NEW DELHI: Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday asked the Opposition to not play politics over the country losing out slots for the annual Haj pilgrimage because private operators missed Saudi Arabia’s deadline.
In a post on X, the minister also asked the operators to complete the formalities within the new deadline to avail the quota for 10,000 Haj pilgrims that was granted by Saudi Arabia as a special gesture due to the “excellent relations” between the two countries.
“Pls don’t play politics with religious Hajj issue,” Rijiju said, with naming Opposition leaders who have asked the government to protect the interests of Indian pilgrims after the country lost out more than 52,500 slots for the annual pilgrimage.
Reports that the Indian quota had been cut by about 50,000 slots have led several political leaders including Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah to flag the issue. In a letter to PM Modi, Stalin said it was causing “significant distress among thousands of Indian Muslim pilgrims, including many from Tamil Nadu” and requested that the government take up the issue with Saudi Arabia to seek an expeditious remedy.
Rijiju’s statement on Thursday came a day after the ministry of minority affairs said that India had lost 52,000 slots because private operators had “failed to meet critical Saudi deadlines” and could not finalise contracts for camps, accommodation and transportation at Mina, a city near Mecca where the pilgrims congregate.
The minister reiterated the point. “Unfortunately, the private operators could not finalise the contracts and make payments as per the advanced Saudi timelines this year. No extension of time was also allowed this year by the Saudi Govt,” he said.
Rijiju said the Indian government took up the issue with Saudi Arabia. “As a special gesture and considering the excellent relations between both the countries, India is given 10,000 Hajj Quotas. the Saudi Haj Ministry has given a window and opened the Nusuk portal to the private operators to complete their work based on the current space availability in Mina, he said.
Rijiju asked the operators to take prompt action this time. “We urge all the private operators (CGHOs) to finalise their contracts and upload all documents on the Saudi Nusuk portal in the extended time period allowed,” he said
Rijiju had traveled to Saudi Arabia in January for talks on pilgrimage arrangements. Minority affairs secretary Chandra Shekhar Kumar visited Saudi Arabia last week to review preparations, including the signing of the 2025 Hajj bilateral agreement.
Hajj 2025 is tentatively scheduled between June 4-9, subject to moon sighting.
India’s annual Haj quota, which is decided by Saudi authorities, increased from 136,020 in 2014 to 175,025 in 2025, the minority affairs ministry said on Wednesday.
For this year, the ministry, through the Haj Committee of India, is managing arrangements for 122,518 pilgrims.
The ministry said the remaining slots were allotted to private tour operators. “Due to updated Saudi norms, MoMA (ministry of minority affairs) consolidated 800+ operators into 26 Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs), and allocated quota to them well in advance,” the ministry said on social media.
While the Haj Committee completed all necessary preparations – including flights, transport, Mina camps, accommodation and services – in line with the Saudi guidelines, the ministry said the private operators failed to meet critical Saudi deadlines and could not finalise required contracts for Mina camps, accommodation, and transportation despite repeated reminders.
