No word yet from Saudi govt on Haj 2020: Haj Committee CEO

Amid uncertainty brought about by the novel coronavirus outbreak worldwide, those pilgrims who desire to cancel their Haj journey for 2020 would be given a 100 per cent refund, Haj Committee of India Chief Executive Officer Masood Ahmed Khan said on Saturday. The Haj Committee of India is a statutory body under an Act of Parliament and functions as part of the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Khan said only a few weeks were left for preparatory works, and there has been no communication from authorities in Saudi Arabia about the Haj pilgrimage. Speaking to PTI, Khan said, "There is little chance of Haj 2020 taking place. Even those who do not apply for cancellation will get full refund." As per data with the Haj Committee, some 2 lakh people go from India to Saudi Arabia for Haj pilgrimage.