Report of S. Shahnawaz Husain, Leader of Delegation to PM (Extracts)

Most of the delegates reached Jeddah on 8th March, 2000 together with their spouses and/or other relatives. A few members joined the delegation a few days later. One member had arrived earlier ...

The Delegation proceeded for Haj on 14h March in the morning and successfully completed all the rituals by 18 March, 2000. After this, on 19" March, 2000, the delegation proceeded to Madinah and after completion of the forty prayers, returned to India via Jeddah on 28" March, 2000.

During my stay in the Kingdom. I had the honour of calling on the Governor of Madinah, the Haj Minister and the Imam of Makkah ... A few delegates were hosted a dinner by the leader of the Iranian delegation ... I attended the dinner hosted by King Fahd ...

... The Haj Committee, Mumbai, and the State Haj Committees should be directed to continue the training courses and to ensure that every intending pilgrim is benefited from such programme ...

... All Indian pilgrims be accommodated in new buildings only and these buildings should be categorised in two types based on the sole criterion of the distance from Haram Sharif. The difference in rent in these two types should be only on the basis of distance from Haram Sharif ... One single agency/committee be constituted that would look into the entire gamut regarding selection of buildings for Indian pilgrims during Haj ...

Consul General of India in Jeddah alongwith representatives from Central Haj Committee should conduct the exercise of selection of buildings for Indian pilgrims under the overall guidelines from Ministry of External Affairs i.e. Joint Secretary, Incharge, Haj, MEA ... During the Haj period a Cell comprising of senior responsible officials from CGI office and representatives from Central Haj Committee be made operational during the entire Haj period that would under his overall supervision exclusively deal with the various grievances of Indian pilgrims as regards the buildings selected for accommodating them ...

... Instead of bank drafts, each pilgrim be permitted to collect his foreign exchange in cash in India itself either in US dollars or Saudi Riyals ...

The Indian Haj Goodwill Delegation should not consist of more than eleven members ... Haj Committee members have practically no role during the Haj; on the other hand, they should be in India to handle the returning flights and interact with next-of-kin in case there is a tragedy.... Khuddams ... may be stopped or ... instructed strictly to serve the Haj pilgrims.

Fifty per cent deputations of the previous years be repeated. It should also be ensured that no deputationist is deputed to Saudi Arabia ... for more than two years ...

Officials working for more than 3 years should not be allowed to continue.

Air India fare for one pilgrim was Rs.31,200/- (Rs.12,600/- paid by the Hajis and Rs.18,600/- paid by the Government of India to the Air India as subsidy ... Air India has not provided the facilities as per the IATA rules to the passengers ... Pilgrims were dumped for more than 72 hours and they were not even served tea, coffee, and snacks at Jeddah.

Headquarters of Central Haj Committee may be shifted to ... New Delhi to avoid any unnecessary shunting from Delhi to Mumbai and vice-versa ... An Advisory Board may be constituted to look into all the aspects of Haj affairs.