MK Stalin urges PM Modi to intervene after Saudi cancels 52,000 private Hajj seats
New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to intervene after Saudi Arabia abruptly cancelled approximately 52,000 Hajj seats allocated to private tour operators. The move has triggered widespread anxiety among Indian Muslim pilgrims preparing for the upcoming pilgrimage.
In his letter, Stalin expressed deep concern over the “sudden reduction” in India’s Hajj quota for private operators, describing the development as a matter of urgent concern. He emphasized that many pilgrims, including those from Tamil Nadu, had already made full payments and were left in distress due to the uncertainty caused by the cancellation.
"I request that the matter may be taken up with the authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia urgently and seek an expeditious remedy,” Stalin wrote, expressing hope that PM Modi’s intervention would help restore the cancelled quota and provide reassurance to affected families.
India had signed a bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia in January 2025, finalising a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims for Hajj 2025. This was split in a 70:30 ratio between State Hajj Committees and private operators—allocating 1,22,517 seats to the former and 52,507 to the latter.
However, Saudi Arabia has now reduced the private Hajj quota by nearly 80 per cent, affecting close to 52,000 Indian pilgrims. The decision reportedly stems from revised policies and stricter timelines for private tour operators, which several failed to meet despite repeated reminders.
In a partial relief, the Saudi government has agreed to India's request to reopen the Hajj Portal for Combined Hajj Group Operators (CHGOs), allowing an additional 10,000 pilgrims to register under the private category.
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Over 350 illegal religious structures removed along Nepal border
Lucknow, May 11 (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said that more than 350 unauthorised religious sites, including madrasas, mosques, mazars and Eidgahs, have been identified and subjected to sealing or demolition in recent days, an official statement issued here said.
Acting on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's clear directive that no religious encroachment will be tolerated, the administration in districts such as Pilibhit, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj has launched a sweeping campaign, it said.
The authorities have systematically identified illegal structures and taken strict action, continuing operations even on Sunday.
The chief minister has made it clear that encroachment in the name of any religion will not be allowed and all violators, especially those running unrecognised religious institutions, will face legal consequences, the statement said.
On May 10 and 11, 104 madrasas, one mosque, five mazars and two Eidgahs built illegally on public and private land were identified in Shravasti. All were issued notices and sealed, it said.
One illegal madrasa on public land was demolished and two unrecognized madrasas on private land were sealed, the statement added.
In Bahraich, officials identified 13 madrasas, eight mosques, two mazars and one Eidgah illegally constructed on government land.
After issuing notices, five were sealed and 11 were demolished, including eight madrasas, two mosques and one mazar, the statement said.
In Siddharthnagar, the authorities identified four mosques and 18 madrasas and one more madrasa for illegal construction. Notices were issued to these structures. Five madrasas were sealed and nine were demolished. In total, action was taken against 23 illegal structures in the district, it said.
In Maharajganj’s Nautanwa tehsil, Parsamalik village, an unrecognized madrasa operating on Maktab land was shut down based on a report submitted by the District Minority Welfare Officer.
The building’s keys were handed over to the local police station in-charge. So far, 29 madrasas and five mazars constructed through encroachment on public and private land have been demolished in the district.
In past two days in Lakhimpur Kheri, two mosques, one Eidgah on public land along with eight madrasas on private land were found to be illegally constructed.
Of the 13 structures identified, one was served a notice, nine were sealed and three have been demolished so far, the statement said.
The district authorities in Pilibhit have identified an illegal mosque built on public land in Bharatpur village, covering an area of 0.0310 hectares.
According to the district magistrate, a notice has been issued to the parties involved, seeking a response within 15 days. Action against the illegal construction will be taken after the notice period ends, it said.
On Sunday, an under-construction madrasa on public land in Virpur Semra village, Tulsipur tehsil, was demolished in Balrampur. So far, 30 madrasas, 10 mazars and one Eidgah have been demolished in the district.
Ten of them were built illegally on public land, while 20 were constructed without authorization on private land, the statement said.
