Haj Committee Chief Advises Community Members to Register for the Pilgrimage
Chairman of the Goa State Haj Committee, Urfan Mulla, urged members of the Muslim community to register for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage to Mecca during a press conference on Monday. Mulla highlighted the support and assistance provided by the Goa government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, to facilitate the pilgrimage for the state Haj Committee.
When asked about the discontinuation of Goa as an embarkation point for Haj pilgrims, Mulla explained that the decision was due to the low number of pilgrims from Goa participating in the annual Haj pilgrimage. He mentioned that airlines do not operate flights from Goa to Mecca due to the limited number of pilgrims, and that airlines require a minimum of 300 pilgrims from Goa in order to consider Mopa as a viable embarkation point.
Nevertheless, Mulla emphasized that the state government has been supporting the pilgrims by arranging their travel to Mumbai and providing accommodation before their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The State Haj Committee Chairman also revealed that the Committee has requested Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to appoint a member Secretary to the Haj Committee and to increase the grant to Rs 30 lakhs.
“We are optimistic that the Chief Minister will consider our request and allocate additional funds”, he stated.
Addressing the allegations, Mulla dismissed claims of Margao MLA Digambar Kamat meddling in the affairs of the Jamia Masjid, Malbhat.
“I want to clarify that the Margao MLA is not involved in the affairs of Jamia Masjid. In fact, we, as members of the Muslim community, seek the MLA’s assistance to address the community’s issues”, he clarified.
