Hajj 2022: GoI urges Saudi government to accommodate Hajj aspirants aged 65 years

SRINAGAR — The Government of India (GoI) has mooted a proposal that has been forwarded to the Hajj Ministry of Saudi Arabia suggesting considering the Hajj aspirants who have attained the age of 65 years.

The suggestions came to the fore in a meeting of the Central Haj Committee of India held in Mumbai. Sources privy to the meeting told news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that in the meeting, members suggested that in the year 2020, some Hajj aspirants who had applied for Hajj died and others couldn’t take off the journey as the pandemic scuttled the Hajj for 2020 and 2021.

“We deliberated on the issue threadbare and suggestions came to fore that the Hajj aspirants who have attained the age of 65 years should be considered for the Hajj 2022,” member of the Central Haj Committee of India, Er Aijaz Hussain told KNO, over the phone from Mumbai.

“We will see if the Saudi government agrees to accommodate the people having attained the age of 65 years,” Er Aijaz said.

“We are hopeful that the Saudi government will accommodate the Hajj aspirants having attained the age of 65 years,” he said.

He said that over 55000 people will perform Hajj in the year 2022 from various parts of India and from J&K, 5196 Hajj aspirants will perform the sacred journey.

From J&K alone, some 10,000 applications were received by the Hajj committee. There will be draws now to select the aspirants, which is expected in a few days from now.

Pertinently, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia recently announced the Hajj quota for countries. This year, one million people will perform Hajj.

Interestingly, Saudi government recently announced that Hajj aspirants up to the age of 64 years are entitled for Hajj 2022.