Owaisi Urges Centre to Revoke Extra Haj Surcharge Amid West Asia Crisis

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has appealed to the Centre to cancel a Haj Committee circular imposing an additional $100 surcharge on pilgrims due to West Asia's unrest. Owaisi criticized the surcharge, suggesting it unfairly exploits financially constrained pilgrims who have been saving up for years.

Asaduddin Owaisi, the chief of AIMIM, on Thursday urged the central government to revoke a controversial circular by the Haj Committee of India. This directive mandates an additional $100 surcharge for pilgrims because of the conflicts in West Asia.

Owaisi expressed his concerns in a social media post, highlighting the financial burden already imposed on pilgrims. He pointed out that a sum of Rs 90,844 per pilgrim, nearly double the regular rate for independent travelers, was collected a couple of months ago from the Mumbai Embarkation Point.

Lambasting the circular as exploitative, Owaisi emphasized that most pilgrims are not affluent and spend years saving for a meaningful pilgrimage. He called for the immediate withdrawal of the surcharge and urged refunds. The surcharge was reportedly implemented following airlines' requests for a fare revision due to increased fuel costs in response to the West Asia situation.