Hajis cry of poor arrangements
Poor arrangements for Hajis from Telangana have prompted the Telangana State Haj Committee (TGSHC) to seek remedial measures.
Over the last few days, these pilgrims, with the help of video clips, have highlighted the lack of proper facilities, in terms of accommodation and transport. There are no buses to take them to Mina, a place that bears the likeness to a tent city, where Haj rituals are performed. Around 1,000 pilgrims faced hardships due to inordinate delay in transportation.
One of them pointed out that while arrangements at the Haj House in Hyderabad were to the pilgrims’ satisfaction, the situation in Mina was deplorable. “A lot of people did not get accommodation, and did not get proper food,” he said, adding that it was a failure of Indian authorities.
He raised concerns about the coordination with moallims (caretakers) and the khadim-ul-hujjaj (Haj helpers). “The Indian camps are not clean,” he said. A pilgrim housed in Building Number 466 (Azizia accommodation) shot a video clip that showed several pilgrims waiting for buses to arrive. He said that senior citizens were highly inconvenienced.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Tajuddin (69), a resident of Shastripuram, passed away. He was on a bus to Mina and is said to have suffered a cardiac arrest. Upset relatives arrived at the Haj House and pointed out the inadequate arrangements. Mr. Tajuddin was to return on a flight on July 2.
Speaking to The Hindu, TGSHC Chairman Syed Ghulam Afzal Biyabani said that while they are responsible for pilgrims’ well-being in the State and making transport arrangements to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, building selection in Saudi Arabia, and transport arrangements there are done by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Haj Committee of India.
“All of this, in addition to the moallim, who is a Saudi citizen, is decided by the MoMA, HCI and Consulate General of India. We have written to the Joint Secretary, Government of India, to throw light on problems faced by pilgrims in building numbers 598, 461, and 466. Because of no transportation, the Haj helpers cannot do much and the Haj coordinators were not responsive. We also informed them of 2,000 pilgrims who are stuck in Mina without food. We have asked them to take immediate action,” he said.
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