
Mehboob Muftti claimed that Saudi Arabia for India by 80 percent decreased the private quote Hajj Pilgrim for India by 80 percent, chief Jammu and the Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Former Minister Jamm and Kashmir urged the Ministry of Trade Union for External Affairs (Mea) to “immediately” hit and take over the matter with the government of Saudi Arabia. Sudden decision, Muftti said, caused anxiety for pilgrims and tour operators who called it “worrying news”.
“The worrying news based on Saudi Arabia.
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“This sudden decision causes immense anxiety for pilgrims and tour operators throughout the country,” she said, calling, “The Ministry of Outside immediately hit the Saudi government to seek a resolution.”
Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two most sacred cities of Islam in Saudi Arabia. The pilgrimage is performed during a specific period that culminates with EID-AL-ADHA.
When is Hajj 2025?
This year, Hajj will be held from 4 to 9 June 2025, depending on the observation of the Moon indicating the beginning of Zil-Hajj, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Pilgrims are likely to start their way to Saudi Arabia until the end of April.
The Hajj pilgrim for Indian pilgrims is carried out either through the Indian Hajj (HCOI) Committee, the statutory organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of Minority, or through private tour operators (PTO) known as the organizers of the Hajj Group (HGOS)
In 2024, about 140,000 Indians continued for Hajj, according to Indian numbers.
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In January 2025, India signed an agreement on Haj with Saudi Arabia and completed a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims for herself. The Ministry of Affairs for minorities Kiren Rijiju signed an agreement with the Minister of Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin fawzan al-Rabiah in Jeddah.
“Hajj agreement 2025 signed with Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister for Hajj and Umrah from Kindom Kindom of Saudi Arabia. He finished the quota of 1 75 025 pilgrims from India for Hajj Pilgrims,” Rijiju said in January.
In January, Rajya Sabha said in a written answer to the question in Rajya Sabha, Rijija said that in 2025 the quota was distributed to the same extent between HCOI and HGOS, at a ratio of 70:30, which was reported in the video of Hajj Policy-2025 issued on August 5, 2024.
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Livemint could not verify the exact number of private pilgrims Hajj, who this year headed to Saudi Arabia.
For Hajj 2025, a quota of pilgrims assigned HGOS is 30 % from India a total of 1 75 025, ie 52 507, Rijiju said. He also said that in the last five years the division of quotas between HCOI and HGOS was between 70:30 and 80:20.
’52, 000 Indian pilgrims in lurch ‘
The recent report in The Times of India said that the fate of about 52, Ooo Indian Hajj Pilgrims was uncertain because Saudi Arabia canceled zones in Mine (stop during the kingdom of Hajj), which were previously assigned to private travel bodies.
This year, Saudi Arabia has taken many measures to control the crowd during Hajje. The kingdom has imposed new restrictions on traveling and suspended the issuance of certain visas to people of 14 countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, according to reports.
However, the suspension does not have an impact on pilgrims from India who are strictly traveling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and secured the hajj visas. The suspension specifically focuses on other visa categories to prevent unauthorized individuals from performing Hajj without proper registration and prevent overcrowding ..
(Tagstranslate) Hajj 2025