Applications from Karnataka for Hajj decline drastically

coastaldigest.com web desk
November 26, 2018

Bengaluru, Nov 26: The number of Hajj aspirants from Karnataka has drastically declined this year as the State Haj Committee so far received less than 6,000 aplifications, below the State’s quota for Hajj (which is 6,624 based on the 2011 Census).

It appears that for the first time in at least 10 years, the number of applications for Hajj 2019 may not cross 15,000.

With the Karnataka and a few other State Haj committees requesting the Hajj Committee of India to extend the deadline to submit applications, the last date has now been set as December 12. The old deadline was November 17.

According to the Hajj committee, there has been a declining trend in the number of pilgrims from the last few years.

“Though every year the deadline is extended and most submit applications in the extension period, this time around, the number of applications received within the first deadline has been way below the mark,” said, Syed Ajaz Ahmed, nodal officer, Bengaluru, State Hajj committee.

The decline started in 2016 when there were 25,000 applications. In 2017, the number of applicants dropped to 23,000 and the following year, it was as low as 18,000. “This time we are expecting it to be below 15,000,” he said.

Following the submission of applications, an online lottery will be conducted to select 6,624 pilgrims for the journey to Makkah.

The Union government scrapped the subsidy for the Hajj pilgrimage last year. For a person travelling from Karnataka, the subsidy was Rs 1,400. “This is negligible in terms of the total cost of travel per person which is roughly around Rs 2 lakh. The scrapping of the subsidy has no affect on the numbers,” he said. The committee blames this downward trend on GST and demonetisation.

“While the salaried class is not as affected, many from the business community don’t have enough money to travel. We think this is the main reason for the fall in numbers,” Mr Ahmed said.

Another reason, he said, could be that applications were invited earlier this year.

“Usually, applications are called for in December and January. This year the process started in October itself. That could have contributed to the lower number of applications,” he added.

Comments

hajj is not enjoy trip to travel.. it is a obligatory right to every muslim , whenever he finds capable to it... those who are capable this year surely they will leave this year itself , and others may wait for their capability....

Viggu Vignesh
 - 
Monday, 26 Nov 2018

World's fastest growing religion is Islam. But now Islam not consisting true believers (not all)

Unknown
 - 
Monday, 26 Nov 2018

Why that discrimination?

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News Network
May 20,2020

New Delhi, May 20: In further relaxation of lockdown rules, domestic flights will begin operations from May 25 in a calibrated manner. Currently, only cargo and evacuation flight services are allowed.

The nationwide lockdown to halt the spread of coronavirus is in place till May 31. However, certain relaxations have been allowed.

All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from next week, tweeted civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

The standard operating procedures for passenger movement will be separately issued by the ministry, said the minister.

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News Network
August 4,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 4: Police barricades, yellow banners, walls with a fresh coat of paint and the sounds of bhajan mark parts of Ayodhya as the city awaits its big day Wednesday, when the first brick will be laid for the Ram temple.

Ayodhya is decked up for the bhoomi pujan that will be attended at the Ram Janmabhoomi by 175 people, who figure in a select guest list of seers and politicians topped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Concerned over the spread of coronavirus, the authorities are encouraging others not to come to the temple town, asking them to mark the occasion by celebrating at their homes. The groundbreaking ceremony will be telecast live.

Roads leading to Ayodhya display hoardings with the picture of the proposed Ram temple and of Ram Lalla, the infant Ram, the deity now housed in a makeshift temple.

Around the town’s Hanumangarhi area – named after a well-known temple which Modi will visit on Wednesday – both police sirens and ‘bhajans’ in praise of Ram are heard.

Most of the shops in the locality wear a new look, with their fronts painted in bright yellow. A large number of policemen were deployed there on Tuesday. Some sat in the sweet shops, waiting for their next instructions.

Roads leading into the area are barricaded. Yards of yellow cloth and marigold garlands were being hung on poles.

Even on the day before the event, security checks on vehicles heading to Ayodhya begin from adjoining Barabanki district itself on the Lucknow-Ayodhya road. Policemen take down details, including mobile numbers of the travellers.

Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar said the focus of the force is on maintaining the Covid-19 protocol.

“So we are not going to allow any outsider to enter Ayodhya city,” he said. Prohibitory orders are also in force and not more than four people will be allowed to gather.

“The markets and shops will remain open but with strict adherence to the Covid protocol,” he said. Outsiders will be stopped from entering the city, but Ayodhya residents will be allowed in if they produce any identification document.

“We are also carrying out random checks on people living in Ayodhya to ensure that no outsiders are staying here,” he said.

The city’s temples and mosques will remain open, but no other religious event – except for the bhoomi pujan – will take place on Wednesday.

Pickets have been set up at sensitive points in the city.

Sub-inspector Ram Chandra Yadav and constables Avnish Kumar and Ankit Chaudhary man the Terhi Bazar Chauraha picket near the Ram Janmabhoomi site.

"We are here for the past some days, and were on duty on the Rakshabandhan day. Duty comes first and only after that come other things in life, like festivals," Yadav said.

Mayank Gupta, who runs a restaurant, was handing out food packets to policemen, his customers.

"For the last two months, I have been providing tiffin to them twice a day. There are around 100 policemen to whom I supply tiffin," Gupta said.

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News Network
April 3,2020

Bengaluru, April 3: Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda has written to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stating that he has communicated in writing to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to make arrangements for the passing of vehicles related to medical facilities and essential goods between Mangaluru and Kasargod.

"What made me write this letter is the pain and anguish I experienced when BM Farookhji, the national working president of JDS and K Krishnan Kutty, MLA and a member of your Cabinet and member of JDS, a coalition partner of your government brought to my notice the inhuman and inappropriate action on part of the authorities of Karnataka to block the interstate highway between Mangaluru and Kasargod, bringing the traffic movements between the two states and particularly to Kasargod district having a sizeable population of Kannadigas to a grinding halt," Gowda wrote in the letter.

"I immediately wrote a letter to Yeddiyurappaji, the Chief Minister of Karnataka to make arrangements to permit goods movement and the passage of ambulances and other vehicles for any emergency. But authorities of Karnataka government appears to be very adamant despite the assurance given before the High Court," it added.

Gowda said that the situation is very grim since he learnt that four to five patients died for want of medical facilities since the ambulances ferrying the patients were denied permission to cross the border, to avail treatment from the hospitals at Mangaluru.

He also condemned the Karnataka government for denying access to medical facilities to people in Kerala.

"I very strongly condemn the attitude of the BJP government in Karnataka denying access to people from Kerala to avail medical facilities on emergency and also the movement of essential goods for the survival of the people and deprivation of such emergency services amounts to violation of human rights and opposed to all norms of humanity and humanitarian considerations," the letter read.
Gowda said he will take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I take this opportunity to assure you that I will take up this issue with the Prime Minister who had assured while imposing 21 days of lockdown that the supply of essential commodities will be maintained and hospital facilities will be kept open round the clock so as to prevent any untoward incident," he stated.

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