. Goa Haj Committee Chairman Sheikh Jina addressing the media on the Haj pilgrimage. Captured by : Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Chairman of Goa Haj Committee Sheikh Jina has on Wednesday asserted that only those who have taken the anti-COVID vaccine will be allowed to go for the Haj pilgrimage in 2022.
Addressing the media, Jina pointed out that while the Indian government and the Haj committees were all gearing up for this year’s pilgrimage, the Saudi Arabia government has sent a message across the world that people from other countries will not allowed for the Haj pilgrimage because of the COVID situation.
Saying that the Indian government and the Haj committees are now gearing up for the 2022 pilgrimage to Mecca, Jina, however, said that only those pilgrims who have got themselves vaccinated will get the opportunity to travel to Saudi Arabia next year.
“The Saudi government had drastically reduced the number of Haj pilgrims coming from other countries. From one lakh pilgrims undertaking the pilgrimage every year, India was allotted only 5000 quota by Saudi Arabia. Out of this quota, Goa had got around 100 seats before the Saudi government cancelled the program because of the COVID situation”, he said.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for promising all facilities and amenities for the Haj pilgrims before the pilgrimage was cancelled, Jina said the Goa government had extended full cooperation to the Haj committee.
