MARGAO
Outgoing Chairman of the Goa Haj Committee Sheikh Jina on Wednesday thanked the BJP governments in Goa and at the centre for facilitating smooth travel for the Hajis to undertake the pilgrimage to the Holy city of Mecca.
Addressing the media, Jina said the BJP governments in the State headed by former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar, Laxmikant Parsekar and Pramod Sawant had all lent their helping hand to ensure the Hajis undertake the pilgrimage without any problem.
He said the government headed by CM Parsekar had even cleared the file allotting land admeasuring around 6,000 square metres to build a Haj house at Verna.
Saying that he had presided over the affairs of the Goa Haj Committee as its chairman for seven long years, Jina said the BJP government headed by the late Parrikar had made financial provisions to the tune of Rs 20 lakh to look after the Hajis arriving in the State from neighbouring Karnataka. He pointed out that Union Minister Shripad Naik and ex-MP Narendra Sawaikar too supported the Goa Haj Committee in making the Haj a success. “When the embarkation point from Goa was removed by the government due to lack of response, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was quick to offer luxury bus services to ferry the Haj pilgrims from Goa to Mumbai," he said while expressing his satisfaction that Goa will once again play host to the Haj embarkation point.
