Saudi Arabia Government has always played an active and effective role to ensure safety and better facilities to Indian Haj pilgrims. This was said by Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday.
Notably, India and Saudi Arabia signed the bilateral annual Haj 2019 agreement. The agreement was signed between Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Haj and Umrah Minister Saudi Arabia Dr Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten in Jeddah.
Speaking on the occasion, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “It is a part of strengthened bilateral relations of the two countries.” He further stated that India-Saudi Arabia relations have achieved newer heights under the leadership and guidance of Saudi Arabia King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz and PM Modi. Both the countries share strong cultural, historical, economic and political relations.
Naqvi also thanked The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz for his guidance and active support to make Haj 2018, successful. He also informed that the Government of India, in coordination and cooperation with Saudi Arabia Government, Indian Consulate and various concerned agencies in Saudi Arabia, is working to ensure safety and better facilities, medical facilities for the pilgrims during Haj 2019.
Naqvi pointed that a large number of Muslim women are likely to go to Haj 2019 without “Mehram” (male companion). More than 2100 women have applied to go to Haj 2019 without “Mehram”. The Minister said that Haj Committee of India has received more than 2 lakh 47 thousand applications yet for Haj 2019. This includes about 47 percent women.
Importantly, for the first time after the Independence, a record number of Muslims from India performed Haj 2018 and that too without any subsidy. Record 1,75,025 Muslims from India performed Haj 2018 which include about 48 percent women.
Following this, The Indian Government has requested the Saudi Arabia Government to increase India’s annual Haj quota for Haj 2019 also.
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