Minority Affairs minister Azam Khan has sought the intervention of Union External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for expediting the issue of Visa stamped passports to Haj pilgrims.
In a letter to Swaraj, Khan said that Haj pilgrimmage is beginning from August 4and so far only 20 per cent of the passports have been stamped with visa. He said that the delay in the issue of visa stamped passport is certain to affect the timely movement of Haj pilgrims.
Drawing the attention of the Foriegn minister to inconvenience caused to the pilgrims of west UP, Khan said the Central Haj Committee has refused to post its staff at the Haj House in Ghaziabad.
“Due to this, these pilgrims will have to go to the office of Delhi Haj Committee in Turkman gate area for obtaining the passport, ticket and identifrication ring. They will have to return to Ghazaibad and undertake yet another bus journey from Ghaziabad to Delhi airport,” he pointed out.
Khan said that at the Haj House in Ghaziabad, pilgrims are required to report two days before the flight. The UP Haj Committee has made arrangements for their journey from Ghaziabad to Delhi airport andhence forcing the pilgrims of west UP to make repeated trips to Delhi was unjustified.
Khan urged the Union minister to direct the Central Haj Committee to post staff at Ghaziabad as is posted in lucknow and Varanasi. He added if the former was unable to post staff then the UP Haj Committee could shoulder the responsibility.