Indians not to perform Haj this year

Indians will not go to the Holy Land to perform Haj this year as the Government of Saudi Arabia has decided to conduct the pilgrimage in low key because of serious challenges posed by COVID-19.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that he received a phone call from Haj & Umrah Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten on June 22 not to send Haj pilgrims from India due to Corona pandemic.
Mr. Naqvi said that 2, 13,000 applications had been received for Haj 2020. The process to refund full amount of money deposited by the applicants without any deduction has been initiated. The money will be refunded through online DBT mode into bank accounts of the applicants.
The Minister informed that this year, more than 23,00 women had applied to perform Haj. These women will be allowed to go to Haj 2021 on the basis of their application for Haj 2020 nly. Besides, women who file new application, will also be allowed to go to Haj next year.
Mr. Naqvi said that a 2 lakh Indian Muslims had performed Haj in 2019. These pilgrims included 50 per cent women. A total of 3,040 women have performed Haj after the Government ensured Muslim women can perform Haj without male companion in 2018.