Srinagar,20-May; Around 2000 Haj aspirants from J&K who became ineligible for this year’s holy pilgrimage due to age-bar set by the Saudi regime have sought intervention of Concerned authorities in demanding relaxations to the intending aspirants from UT.While speaking to a delegation of aspirants said that they were feeling relieved over the Saudi government’s decision of allowing the Hajj this year but the age bar decision has shattered them as they were planning the pilgrimage from last three years.“The quota must be increased and priority must be given to those who have applied consecutively for three years from UT”,they demanded.The quota was announced after a long wait as the Saudi government allowed Hajj 2022 after a gap of two years. For year 2021 and 2022, Hajj remained suspended for foreign travellers due to the Covid pandemic. The Saudi government also announced that this year that one million people will perform Hajj.Central Haj Committee member Engineer Aijaz Hussain earlier said that this year 5196 people from J-K will perform Hajj. “In entire India, 55164 aspirants are entitled to leave for the holy pilgrimage,” he said. He said Uttar Pradesh has got highest quota where over 8000 people will leave for the Hajj journey.Meanwhile, the aspirants have urged ministry for minority affairs to immediately intervene in the quota issue and sought to have more for this year due to consecutive misses in the last two years.Pertinently, the Saudi government this year has put an age-bar for the pilgrims and only those below 65 years of age are entitled for the Hajj 2022.(CNS
