New Delhi: The central government on Tuesday said it has decided to withdraw subsidy given to hundreds and thousands of Muslims for the annual Haj pilgrimage.

Announcing the decision, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it was in line with the government's agenda to empower minorities without appeasing them.

"This is part of our policy to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement," Naqvi told reporters here.

He said the government would utilise the funds saved from withdrawing the subsidy for education of minorities, particularly girls.

The government had drafted the policy to abolish the Haj subsidy in phased manner after the Supreme Court asked it in 2012 to withdraw it gradually by 2022.

This year, the highest number of Indian pilgrims are likely to go for the pilgrimage after Saudi Arabia increased India's quota by 5,000.

A total of 1.75 lakh Indian Muslims can go for Haj this year.

Twitterati took no time in reacting to this news. Here are some of the reactions. Be warned, some of these are sharply worded.

Following the SC directive the Govts move to abolish #HajSubsidy is progressive. No one should be paid for religious tourism. Such funds can be used for pressing issues of public importance.
— Daniel Francis (@DFranticly) January 16, 2018

Union govt. withdraws subsidy to haj pilgrims.Haj subsidy funds to be used for educational empowerment of girls & women of minority community.

Appreciable step! This is in accordance with the govt. policy of development for all, appeasement for none.
— Sadhana Tiwari (@Swt_Sadhana) January 16, 2018

Government ends Haj subsidy. The subsidy amount will now be used for educating Muslim girls. Huge step towards women empowerment!
— Priti Gandhi (@MrsGandhi) January 16, 2018

Ending Haj subsidy is a good beginning. Government should stop spending on maintaining mass delusions. End all support to religion.
— Kamlesh Singh | Bana de Lohagarh (@kamleshksingh) January 16, 2018

Great move to scrap Haj subsidy. I am so happy to see PM accepting at least one demand of Asad Owaisi https://t.co/FhlOwClUSY
— Sanjay Dixit संजय (@Sanjay_Dixit) January 16, 2018

A government is obligated to maintain the places on its territory. Pilgrimage places, festivals are part of tourism, like any other monument. It fuels local economy
It is not obligated to fund foreign Haj travel from which it gets no benefit. https://t.co/O3M4yvtVS7
— Sankrant Sanu सानु (@sankrant) January 16, 2018

GOI withdraws Haj subsidy. The funds will now be used for the educational empowerment of girls/ women of minority community. Welcome step. Whoever from whichever religion wants to go on a religious trip, shd go at own cost.
— Me (@semubhatt) January 16, 2018

Dear news outlets running the end of Haj subsidy as “breaking news” today, please read this story from Nov 3, 2017. Thanks. https://t.co/uU9oLOwn6l
— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) January 16, 2018

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