Click to play videoNew Delhi: Muslims’ holy pilgrimage, the Haj, begins on Thursday and for those who can't afford the journey the Indian government offers a Haj subsidy. This year for example, one lakh Indian Muslims will undertake the Haj as part of the Goverment's quota chosen by a lottery system.
But a Cobrapost-IBN 7 investigation found shocking levels of corruption in the selection process.
The political reaction to the expose was immediate and the dismay over the revelations and a call for change cut across party lines.
“A CBI enquiry should be conducted because this is a shameful thing. And I don’t think any Muslim worth his name can conceive of such a situation let alone be a party to it,” Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay said.
The Minority Affairs Minister set the tone of the political reactions and there was an immediate call for an overhaul in the system of selection of pilgrims.
“The best way is to reform the system,” Lok Sabha MP, Asaduddin Owaisi said.
Meanwhile, the BJP pointed out that privatisation also had a role to play. But Antulay went beyond agreeing with the need for change.
“I had mentioned once in the Cabinet also that we should try to follow the Malaysian model,” Antulay explained.
While the Malaysian system revolves around a professionally managed savings fund, which makes both withdrawals and deposits easy and transparent, the common consensus is that a drastic change is needed in the selection process.
(With inputs from Neelu Vyas)
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