EPS demands DMK government to give subsidy to Hajj pilgrims in TN

CHENNAI: The leader of the opposition in the House and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday urged the DMK government to provide subsidies to the pilgrims of Tamil Nadu who are performing the Hajj pilgrimage.

The AIADMK joint coordinator said that though the subsidy for the Hajj pilgrimage was stopped in 2018, it was again started in the same year following the request from the Muslim community and Jamaat members.

He said accordingly, that in 2018, the government allocated Rs 6 crore for Haj pilgrims, and a total of 3,769 people from the Muslim community were given Rs 15,913 each and the amount was deposited in their respective bank savings accounts. "In 2019 also Rs 13,639 was given each to as many as 4,379 people,” he added.

Pointing out that in 2021, the then AIADMK government has allocated fund for the Hajj pilgrimage, Palaniswami said "Unfortunately, Saudi Arabian government has suspended the Haj Pilgrimage due to pandemic situation".

Claiming that in 2022, though about 3,000 persons had applied to undertake the Hajj tour, the Saudi Arabian government has reduced the pilgrim's quota by about 40%, and therefore, the Centre has permitted only about 1,750 persons from Tamil Nadu to travel.

"Till now the State government had not prevailed upon the Centre to increase the quota,” he said adding that the State government should allocate subsidy of Rs 10 crore for the Hajj pilgrims here and also take steps that they take flight from Chennai itself.

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