The Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to consider sending the Indian haj pilgrims, who have been selected in 2020, in the next year’s batch.

He said the same group may be given a chance in 2021 since there was no possibility of them going on the pilgrimage this year. To facilitate this, the government can suspend any fresh haj draw next year, he said.

In his letter, the Prince of Arcot said that Saudi Arabia decided to allow only local pilgrims to perform haj in limited numbers this year in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

International haj had been officially cancelled this year, therefore no Indian pilgrim can go on the pilgrimage, including those who were selected by the Hajj Committee of India, in the haj draw (Qurrah) 2020 or through international flights from India.

Therefore, he urged the Prime Minister to consider allowing this year’s Indian haj pilgrims to avail next year’s quota. “The pilgrims who are anxious to proceed to the two holy lands of Mecca and Madina to perform haj and ziarath (visit to the Holy Prophet' Mosque), should not be deprived of their good fortune of their life time in having been selected this year 2020, when they were unable to go.” the Prince said.