for a "Kafir Sahab"
http://mboard.rediff.com/newboard/permapost/s/bnews2008jun28jk1/RE_Imran_Patel_sounds_more_logical.html

My dear friend,

Could you please explain why are you putting only one part of story?

First of all, Government of India provided subsidy to 1, 10,000 pilgrims in 2007, true. Pilgrims pay only INR 12,000, agree. This figure has remained unchanged for at least a decade or more, perfect. BUT, could you please explain me why the hell cost of journey (airfare only) for Hajj pilgrims is INR 40,000? The cost of non stop travel with other airlines is INR 24,000 (source: www.ebookers.ch) for one person as of now. The fare keeps ranging between INR 18,000 to INR 55,000 during the season. I am sure that cost of journey will reduce substantially if there is contract for 1, 10,000 persons. Any airline will be more than happy to get a contract of 1,10,0000 * 20000 = INR 2,20,00,00,000. INR 220 Crores a year, wow, such a handsome amount, perhaps, if I get a contract for just a decade or two, I can start my own airline, trust me.

So the FACT here is that the hajj committee is not authorized to put tender and select airlines. And with monopoly of Indian Airlines with compulsion to use that, makes fare very high. Perhaps this is how the losses are neutralized. So most of the amount of subsidy is not required if Hajj Committee is authorized to select airlines. IF YOU DO NOT WANT GOVERNMENT OF INDIA TO SUBSIDIZE PILGRIMAGE, COULD YOU PLEASE SUPPORT US, AND HAJJ COMMITEE FOR AUTHORISATION OF SELECTING AIRLINE?

The other reason we do not want monopoly is that all Air India flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were delayed by two to 72 hours. In some cases, the pilgrims were intimated about flight departures only a day in advance, which caused inconvenience them. Some pilgrims’ baggage arrived two days later. The Hajjis were ill-treated by Air India staff.


Now, coming to having separate Hajj cell in the ministry of external affairs, and bla bla, If you are so keen with the "official figures", you must know that only 1550 people traveled with hajj committee in 1975 whereas figure has increased to 1,24,000 in 2008...an increase of 8000% in 33 years, mind blowing. Please understand that Hajj is not traveling from Pune to Bombay on express highway, it requires an INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL. It makes you foreigner for the time of hajj. And as most of the people are not really literate, traveling internationally for the first time (these two are obvious points as people paying income tax can not avail subsidy) and all 1, 24,000 people have to travel in approximate ten days, there has to be some structured and planned way to make journey possible. What do you think, is it possible to make 1, 24,000 people (and increasing exponentially every year) travel to an international destination in 10 days without having infrastructure? And do not forget that all the pilgrims are INDIAN, and being a great nation, it is really nice for government to take care of their people abroad.


You also have problem with the 115+141+3+46+165+186 = 656 people, a little more that 0.529%? Ha Ha. My friend, as I explained you, most of the people are traveling for the first time, the weather is altogether different there, the temperature is extreme high at noon and extreme low at night, the food is different, there is high chance of being sick, and the people, including doctors, speak different language, the hajj is largest annual pilgrimage in the world. About 20, 00,000 people performed hajj in 2007. In such a big crowd with these problems, isn’t it fair to have fraction of medical staff and supporting staff for little more than a month? Tell me honestly. I have experience of staying in a European country, I know that our government does far more that this for we people if we are in other country.

And in this hajj subsidy issue, trust me, not event a single Muslim country in the world provides subsidy. Muslims do NOT need any subsidy for hajj. Hajj is an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.


Looking into the story with the omitted facts, it is not at all comparable to Kashmir issue.

Amaranth yatra requires internal travel (It matters, you can understand only if you have traveled abroad).
There are only 40,000 people visited in 2007. (2% of hajj pilgrims)
The journey is spread over 45 days (as compared to ten days in hajj), so number of travelers per day is far less.

These differences make it clear that there are no separate ministry and guests houses are required for pilgrimage.

BUT, my friend, I understand that 40,000 is not a small count. The journey is difficult; the weather is different in valley as compared to other parts of India, so it DOES need some infrastructure to make the journey easier. It has become a political issue in the valley because of upcoming elections. But the way you have co related the issue with Hajj subsidy was really unfair. Infect by putting your own positive perspective and highlighting the problems faced, you would have got support for many of the Muslims also. I really do not understand why you co related a local issue with all Indian Muslims? Are all Indian Muslims supporting valley guys? Why are you trying to loose the support you already have?

The actual link contains:
RE:Imran Patel sounds more logical by Kafir Sahab on Jun 29, 2008 02:14 AM The Government of India provides an airfare subsidy to about 100,000 pilgrims selected by the Haj Committee of India who go for Haj annually. Pilgrims pay only Rs 12,000 for their air travel. This figure has remained unchanged for at least a decade or more.According to official figures, this subsidy was Rs 280 crores in 2006, or about Rs 28,000 per pilgrim. Today, with rising fuel prices, this figure would have gone up to Rs 350-400 crores.There is a separate Haj cell in the ministry of external affairs. The Haj Committee of India has its own premises in Mumbai. Similarly the State Haj Committees have their own premises in various other Indian cities. These facilities have been built on land provided by the state governments.For Haj 2007, a contingent of 115 doctors (including 63 specialists with post-graduate degrees) and 141 nurses and other para-medical staff, 3 coordinators, 46 assistant Haj officers, 165 Haj assistants and 186 Khadimul Hujjaj were sent from India on short-term deputation to Saudi Arabia.Perhaps our self-righteous and petty Kashmiri politicians in India's only Muslim-majority state should reflect over these facts and tell us whether they think it is at least their moral if not political obligation to be more caring and sensitive to Hindu pilgrims visiting Amarnath. If we can do so much for Indians going on a pilgrimage abroad, should we not be able to do as much if not better for pilgrims at home?