Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin has urged Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to re-designate Chennai as an Embarkation Point for the convenience of Haj Pilgrims from Tamilnadu and neighbouring States.
In a letter to Naqvi, he recalled his earlier letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 11 November, 2021 making a similar request.
He also urged the Union Minister to reconsider its earlier decision reducing the number of embarkation points as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has relaxed all Covid related restrictions for international pilgrims.
Pointing out that every year more than 4,000 pilgrims from Tamilnadu proceed on Haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia from Chennai embarkation point, he said direct Haj flights were operated from Chennai to Jeddah and back from the year 1987 till 2020, benefiting the pilgrims of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
‘During Haj 2019, more than 4,500 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands proceeded on Haj pilgrimage from the Chennai embarkation point”, he said, adding, the Haj Committee of India had informed that due to Covid-19 pandemic, the embarkation points have been reduced from 21 to 10 and that Cochin has been designated as embarkation point for pilgrims from Tamilnadu.’
The pilgrims from Tamilnadu are now made to travel more than 700 km to
Cochin, Kerala for their pilgrimage facing hardships and incurring additional costs, the Chief Minister said.
‘Further, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has relaxed all Covid related restrictions for International pilgrims. Therefore, the reduction in the number of embarkation points can be reconsidered. Several representations are also being received from members of the Islamic community in this regard’, Stalin said and requested the Union Minister to consider the convenience of the Haj pilgrims from Tamilnadu and the neighbouring States and to take urgent action to re-designate Chennai as an Embarkation Point for Haj 2022.