New Delhi, Dec 10: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has urged Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to defer the new guidelines restricting Haj subsidies for pilgrims to next year in view of certain doubts expressed by Muslim organisations. At a meeting chaired by NCM chairman S Tarlochan Singh, the commission considered the proposals received from various State Minorities Commission and other Muslim organisations which have raised certain doubts about clearing of the Haj pilgrims vis-a-vis the new guidelines which require providing Income Tax certificates for each pilgrim.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, NCM chairman said that the applications for the Haj were received by the end of July this year and the guidelines have been issued in October. The Haj is to start from December 24, he said. The NCM has suggested that the Centre should discuss the new guidelines with NCM, Central Haj Committee and other Muslim organisations for the Haj pilgrims for next year, NCM said in a press release today.

It was also decided that a delegation should call on the Prime Minister for this purpose, the release added.

Bureau Report