How Much More For Hajjis ?

A very revealing fact has been obtained from the Indian government's External Affairs Ministry Office through the RTI (Right to Information) Act. As per this information, the Indian Government has spent a staggering sum of 2,891.77 crore rupeess (28,920,000,000 Rs = US $ 672,558,140) for muslim Hajj pilgrimage in the last 5 years.

The editor-in-general of "Suchana Adhikar Manch" in Patiala, Punjab, Mr. D.C. Gupta and the publishing editor Mr. Kumar Sarin asked the Indian Government's External Affairs department about Hajj subsidy through the RTI Act on July 31, 2010. The External Affairs secretary Mr. Manbir Singh replied in writing that the Central Government has been providing this Hajj subsidy since 1991.

Mr. Manbir revealed that in just the last 5 years, a total of 2,891.77 crore rupees have been spent for 640,792 Muslim Hajj pilgrims. He also mentioned that between the years 2008 and 2009, 121,695 Muslim pilgrims went to Hajj from the country. The Government provided subsidy of 70,238 rupees (US $ 1,634) per person and a total of 864.77 crore rupees (US $ 201,162,791) was spent in just one year.

The ministry has also informed that the Indian Government does not provide any subsidy for pilgrimage for any other religious group.

As per a Hindustan Times news article published on April 10, 2010, it was disclosed that the Central Govt. spent 367 crore rupees (US $ 85,348,837) on 2006, 390 crore (US $ 90,697,675) on 2007 and 826 crore (US $ 192,093,023) on 2008 as subsidy for the Hajj pilgrimage.