HAJ NEED NOT BE SUBSIDIZED
Dr. Jai Maharaj
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
Hindu Holocaust Museum
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Haj need not be subsidised
By M. Yusuf Khan
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Saturday, January 24, 2004
The Haj subsidy has been a sore point
with most fellow countrymen including
a large section of Muslims who stand
to benefit from it monetarily. The
Government's decision to withdraw
this well-meaning gesture at the last
minute did put some pilgrims to
inconvenience this year, as they had
to shell out a tidy sum digging into
their savings and in some cases even
resorting to borrowing. However, the
heat and dust that was generated over
the Government decision to withdraw
the subsidy from tax paying Hajis was
unnecessary.
It is a matter that needs to be
considered dispassionately by the
Muslims. In its attempt to appear
reasonable, by according subsidy to
the non-tax paying Hajis, the
Government is missing the point. The
Haj expenses should not be subsidised
to any category. This is a ritual
obligatory for those who can afford
it once in a lifetime. The
affordability is decided by criteria
set forth by the religious text. But
one thing is clear: The expenses have
to be borne by the individual or his
family and not by the Government or
any other agency. The Prophet himself
embarked on this pilgrimage only
once, though there is no embargo on
repeating it if one has the financial
means to do so.
For 1400 years, Muslims have been
congregating at Mecca in the
tradition of Prophet Abraham. The
Indian Muslims have even trekked all
the way, though in the recent past
the sea route was favoured with
Mumbai as the starting point. With
civil aviation spreading its wings,
ship travel was abandoned at the
behest of the Saudi Government, which
perhaps wanted one entry point for
the pilgrims coming from every nook
and corner of the world. It was at
this switch over that the Government
decided to subsidise the airfare.
Significantly, a large number of
Muslims including the ulema have
never approved of the Haj subsidy.
Yet we see some Imams from Calcutta
going to court to oppose the decision
to withdraw the subsidy. National
Federation of Muslims, a little known
organisation, has filed a suit in the
Supreme Court for the same reason.
Political parties too have jumped
into the fray as champion of the
Muslim cause and would have us
believe that a great injustice is
about to be done to the minorities.
Certain facts need to be placed to
put the matter in proper perspective.
The journey to Mecca that must have
started as a trickle reached an
impressive figure of 120,000 last
year. Of these 72,000 pilgrims went
through the Haj Committee while the
rest 40 per cent chose the services
of travel agents and were, therefore,
rendered ineligible for the subsidy.
It is clear that only 60 per cent got
the benefit of subsidised airfare.
The Haji pays Rs 12,000 and the
Government pays the rest Rs 20,000 of
the fare. Interestingly, there are
different categories of packages
being offered by the Haj Committee as
well as the agents. If we take the
lowest segment of the package offered
by the Haj Committee, it was Rs
72,143 last year, while the travel
agent charged only Rs 64,000 per
head, which obviously includes his
profit. Why then should a non-profit
organisation like the Haj Committee
with the advantage of subsidy charge
so much more? Many people smell a rat
there and want a proper explanation
if not a full-fledged probe.
Broadly, there are three agencies
involved in the Haj affair. The Haj
Committee that provides the
administrative support, the Ministry
of External Affairs that bears the
economic burden of the subsidy, and
Air India that oversees the travel
arrangements which now include the
selection of the airlines for
carrying the pilgrims. Earlier, the
Haj Committee used to float a global
tender and short list the carriers
for the Director General of Civil
Aviation to select the most suitable
one keeping in view their safety
record and other capabilities to
undertake the stupendous task of
carrying pilgrims.
However, it was not unusual for the
DGCA to be overruled for reasons best
known to the authorities. Here again
it gives rise to speculation as the
air-charter money runs into crores of
rupees. A greater degree of
transparency will stop the rumour-
mongering. Further, it is common
knowledge that with hard negotiations
the charter rates can be brought down
and the benefit or commission can be
passed on to the Hajis which is fair
enough and will not fall in the
category of subsidy which is
objectionable.
Many Muslims say it is morally
incorrect to demand Haj subsidy. But
somehow it has become a political
issue in our country. Islam never
burdens its followers with something
that is beyond their means or
capability. But it does demand some
personal sacrifices like giving away
a portion of your hard-earned money
in charity, etc. Viewed against such
requirements, the subsidy has no
place in fulfilling the religious
obligations. Yet, Rs 150 crore spent
on the subsidy is a big amount which
could be better utilised on education
and medical care of the weaker
section of society including Muslims.
Read the complete news at:
http://www.dailypioneer.com
Jai Maharaj
Creator of newsgroups alt.jyotish, alt.language.hindi, alt.religion.hindu
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Om Shanti
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harmony
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <use...@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:Bharat-157...@news.mantra.com...
Dr. Jai Maharaj
"harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
> may be the money could be better used for mommedn family planning.
By condom, I presume, and not by carpet-bombing of civilian areas.
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
> Dr. Jai Maharaj wrote in message
harmony
> In article <1013525...@corp.supernews.com>,
> "harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
> >
> > may be the money could be better used for mommedn family planning.
>
> By condom, I presume, and not by carpet-bombing of civilian areas.
>
this may be time for hindu organzations to offer conditional huj subsidy:
to those who under 30 with no more than 2 kids and willing to vasectomy.
Dr. Jai Maharaj
"harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
> Dr. Jai Maharaj wrote in message
> news:Muslim-terrorism-...@news.mantra.com...
>> In article <1013525...@corp.supernews.com>,
>> "harmony" <a...@hotmail.com> posted:
>>>
>>> may be the money could be better used for mommedn family planning.
>> By condom, I presume, and not by carpet-bombing of civilian areas.
> this may be time for hindu organzations to offer conditional huj subsidy:
> to those who under 30 with no more than 2 kids and willing to vasectomy.
Muslims need to study humankind's most time-tested
spiritual system: the Vedic-Hindu. This is the real
solution.
Mirza Ghalib
revoked this subsidy. Do you know when this happened, and
where it was published.
The Koran clearly says that Haj is obligatory only on those
who can afford it. But Indri Gandhi had introduced it to win
points with the Muslim community. Not even Islamic countries
grant a subsidy for Hajj.
use...@mantra.com (Dr. Jai Maharaj) wrote in message news:<Bharat-157...@news.mantra.com>...
Habshi
wrote:
The article seems to suggest that the Indian Govt has
revoked this subsidy. Do you know when this happened, and
where it was published.
It has revoked it for those who pay income tax but the
total amount has gone up - 400 crore rupees I think.