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JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia has announced the gradual resumption of Umrah and visits to the Two Holy Mosques with a limited number of pilgrims, starting from Oct. 4, 2020, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday citing a source at the Ministry of Interior.
The ministry source said that based on the reports of the competent authorities regarding coronavirus developments and in response to the aspirations of many Muslims at home and abroad to perform Umrah, and based on the leadership's keenness on the health and safety of the visitors the Two Holy Mosques, a royal approval has been given to allow the performance of Umrah and visits to the Two Holy Mosques gradually while taking the necessary health preventative measures.
In the first phase, citizens and expatriates from within the Kingdom will be allowed to perform Umrah at a capacity of 30 percent from Oct. 4 that translates to 6,000 pilgrims per day following the health precautionary measures of the Grand Mosque.
In the second phase, citizens and expatriates inside the Kingdom will be allowed to perform Umrah, visit the Rawdah in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, and pray in Two Holy Mosques, starting from Oct. 18, with a 75 percent capacity limit that is equivalent of nearly 15,000 pilgrims per day and 40,000 worshippers per day following the health precautionary measures for the Grand Mosque, as well as 75 percent of the capacity in line with the health precautionary measures for the Rawdah in the Prophet’s Mosque.
In the third phase, pilgrims from abroad would be allowed to perform Umrah as of Nov. 1 with a full capacity of 20,000 pilgrims and 60,000 worshipers per day and it will continue until the official end of the coronavirus pandemic or the official announcement that the danger is over. The arrival of Umrah performers and visitors from outside the Kingdom shall be gradual from the countries that are free from health risks related to the coronavirus pandemic, the source added.
The fourth phase will allow the performance of Umrah, visit and prayers by citizens and expatriates from inside and outside the Kingdom, at 100 percent of the normal capacity of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, when the competent authority decides that the risks of the pandemic has disappeared.
Meanwhile, the entry of pilgrims, worshipers and visitors shall be regulated through the application (Etamarna), which will be launched by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, with the aim of implementing the health standards and controls approved by the Ministry of Health and the competent authorities.
The source called upon pilgrims, worshipers and visitors to adhere to preventive measures and apply the health instructions and requirements, including wearing face masks, keeping a safe distance, and avoiding a physical contact.
The source affirmed the Kingdom's keenness to enable the pilgrims from inside and outside the Kingdom to perform the rituals in a safe and healthy manner fulfilling the preventative requirements and spatial distancing in order to ensure human safety and protection from the threats of this pandemic, and achieve the objectives of the Islamic law in preserving human lives.
The source explained that the stages announced in this statement will be subjected to continuous evaluation, according to the developments of the pandemic.
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Bhubaneswar (PTI): Three-time Congress MLA and former minister Surendra Singh Bhoi resigned from the primary membership of the party after 38 years and joined the ruling BJD on Friday.
Two BJP leaders Nilgiri MLA Sukant Nayak and the party's Cuttack district president Prakash Chandra Behera - also resigned from their party and are likely to join the BJD.
In a letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Surendra Singh Bhoi said he has resigned from the post of Bolangir district Congress committee (DCC) president as well as the party.
"I beg to say here that due to personal reasons I would like to resign from the primary membership, and the post of president DCC, Bolangir as well as AICC membership. With great honour, I thank you for giving me an opportunity to serve the party and my state for 38 years with passion, dedication and discipline," he said in the letter.
He joined the BJD at Sankha Bhawan, the headquarters of the ruling party.
BJP MLA Sukant Nayak also resigned from the party.
In a letter to Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal, the Nilgiri MLA said, "I do hereby tender my resignation on today (i.e 29.03.2024) from the primary membership of Bharatiya Janata Party. The same may please be accepted."
Nayak was elected to the assembly in 2014 on BJD ticket from Nilgiri. He, however, switched over to BJP in 2019 and also won the seat. He has now decided to return to the party from where he started his electoral journey, BJD sources said.
Former Chitrakonda MLA & BJD leader Dambaru Sisa also resigned from the primary membership of the party on Thursday.
In his letter to BJD president Naveen Patnaik, Sisa said, "My aim and purpose remain the same as it has always been from the very beginning to serve the people of the state and the constituency. I believe I am unable to do this anymore in this party. So to meet the aspirations of my people and my workers, I believe it is best to look forward to a fresh start."
The development came a day after Cuttack MP Bhatruhari Mahtab and ex-MP Siddharth Mohapatra joined BJP in Delhi on Thursday. Mahtab had resigned from BJD on March 22.
Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases between May 13 and June 1.