No Indian Muslims will be able to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj this year (2020), honouring the decision of the the latter to ban international pilgrims from performing the annual rituals amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday (June 23, 2020) took to Twitter to announce that Muslims from India will not be going on Haj.


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"Honouring the decision of the Saudi Arabia Government in view of serious challenges of corona pandemic and keeping in mind the health and well-being of the people, it has been decided that Muslims from India will not go to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj," he tweeted.


Naqvi said that a total of 213,000 applications had been received for Haj 2020 and the process has been started to refund the full amount of money deposited by the applicants without any deduction.


For Haj 2020, above 2,300 women had applied without Mehram (male relative) and they will be allowed to go to Haj in 2021 on basis of their application for Haj 2020 only. Besides, women without Mehram who file fresh application for Haj 2021, will also go to Haj.






"2 lakh 13,000 applications had been received for Haj 2020. The process has been started today to immediately refund full amount of money deposited by the applicants without any deduction. The money will be refunded through online DBT mode into bank accounts of the applicants," he also tweeted.


"For Haj 2020, above 2300 women had applied without Mehram (male relative). These women applicants will be allowed to go to Haj 2021 on basis of their application for Haj 2020 only. Besides,women without Mehram who file fresh application for Haj 2021, will also go to Haj," he further tweeted.


ANaqvi informed that he had a telephonic conversation with Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, Saudi Minister for Haj and Umrah who suggested not to send pilgrims from India to the pilgrimage this year due to coronavirus pandemic. "We have honoured Saudi`s decision and keeping in mind health and well being of people, it has been decided that Indian Muslims will not for Haj," news agency ANI quoted the Minister.


The ministry had done elaborate arrangements for Haj pilgrimage this time. The ministry had paid Rs 160 crore to Air India for Haj 2020 and three airlines Air India, Saudi Arabian Indian and FlyNas had been selected. 


India and Saudi had signed bilateral Haj 2020 agreement on December 1, 2019.