2,300 women wanted to perform Haj 2020 without male guardians: Naqvi

MUMBAI: Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said that 2,300 women who applied for Haj 2020 without mehram or male guardians will be allowed to perform Haj 2021 without requiring to make fresh applications.
Besides, more women who file new applications to go for Haj without mehram will also be allowed to go to Haj next year.
Naqvi said this in a statement on Tuesday after Saudi Arabia announced to bar international pilgrims for Haj 2020 to be performed in July end. A limited number of pilgrims already present in the kingdom will be allowed to perform Haj this year.
Naqvi said that out of 2, 13,000 applications the Haj Committee of India received this year, 2,300 were women who wanted to travel to Saudi Arabia for Haj without mehram. "These women will be allowed to go to Haj 2021 on the basis of their application for Haj 2020 only. Besides, women who file new application will also be allowed to go to Haj next year," Naqvi said. India has a Haj quota of 2 lakh pilgrims.
Naqvi added that the applicants' money deposited with the Haj Committee for Haj 2020 would be refunded immediately without any deduction. Yusuf Ahmed Khereda of Al Khalid Tours and Travels, a private tour operator, said that he has given a choice to the pilgrims, "to either get the refund or get confirmed seats next year if you don't take the refund."
In a release on Tuesday morning, Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah said; "This decision is taken to ensure Haj is performed in a safe manner from a public health perspective while observing all preventive measures and necessary social distancing protocols to protect human beings from the risks associated with pandemic and in accordance with the teachings of Islam about preserving the lives of human beings."