Azam for shifting Central Haj Committee office to Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh Minority Welfare and Haj Minister Mohammad Azam Khan today demanded shifting of the Central Haj Committee office in Mumbai either to Lucknow or Delhi.
"As devotees do not go by ships any longer there is no point in maintaining the Haj Committee office in Mumbai.
"It will be better if the office is shifted to Lucknow as maximum pilgrims are from UP or to Delhi," Khan said taking part in a programme to organise lottery for selection of Haj pilgrims.
Efforts were on to sort out problems facing pilgrims in the wake of reported misbehaviour with them in Saudi Arabia, he said.

A national programme was proposed in this regard but it could not be held due to some reasons, the minister said.
The programme would now be held next year and efforts would be made to invite the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to India, he said.

Instead of government employees, Imams of mosques and madarsa teachers should be sent as Khadim-ul-Hujaj but the Central Committee and departments concerned were not paying any heed to this suggestion, Khan said.
Employees with connections get themselves selected as Hujaj but after reaching Saudi Arabia they do not take care of the pilgrims, he said.

It would be better if poor Muslims were selected as they would not only serve the pilgrims but would also get a chance to undertake Haj, the minister said.
He said in today's lottery, applicants from 11 districts had been selected.