Mumbai: While holding a review meeting ahead of Hajj this year, Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday said that India will go by the decision of the Government of Saudi Arabia.
“While some countries are not able to send their citizens to Hajj 2021, India has decided that we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government of Saudi Arabia. We will go ahead in line with the decision taken by the Saudi government.
“Our priority continues to be the health and well-being of people of both nations and also of humanity” said Naqvi during a presser according to an official handout.
The Minister said that a nationwide campaign will be launched by various social and educational institutions to “curb and crush” rumours and apprehension regarding the ongoing vaccination in India. “State Haj “Committees, Waqf Boards, their associated organisations, Central Waqf Council, Maulana Azad Education Foundation and other social and educational institutions will be part of the campaign,” he added.
Naqvi said that Women’s Self Help Groups will also be included in the campaign. These organisations and Women SHGs will also encourage and persuade the people to get vaccinated to tackle the Corona pandemic. The campaign will be called “JaanHaiToJahaanHai” and will be launched especially in villages and remote areas of the country.
Speaking about the country’s preparations for Haj 2021, he said that a review has been taken of the current position on vaccinations based on directions given by the Haj Committee of India and the guidelines given by the Health Department of the Government of Saudi Arabia.
More than 2.5 million people perform the Haj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca every year. It may be recalled that last year, due to Covid 19 pandemic, the Saudi Arabian government had announced that it would hold ‘limited Haj’ confined to people of different nationalities already living in the Kingdom.
India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr Ausaf Sayeed; Consul General of India in Jeddah Shahid Alam and senior officials of the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs attended today’s meeting through video conferencing. The Haj Committee of India CEO M A Khan and other officials were also present.

KR Desk