No decision on Hajj yet, will depend on Saudi Arabia's ruling: Union Minister Abbas Naqvi

Union Minister for Minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi clarified that annual Haj pilgrimage will depend of Saudi Aribia government's decision. He mentioned that PM Narendra Modi has said that India will stand by whatever decision the country passes. He said nothing as been decided as of now.

"Haj will depend on the decision of the Saudi Arabia government. PM Narendra Modi has said India will stand by the side of the Saudi govt in their decision. Last year Haj got canceled. This year nothing has been decided yet," ANI quoted Naqvi as saying.

Less than 5,000 Muslims from India will be allowed to the



Hajj pilgrimage as Saudi Arabia has capped the number of pilgrims due to ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Around 2 lakh pilgrims used to visit Saudi for Hajj every year from India.

Earlier on Thursday, Indonesia cancelled the haj pilgrimage for people in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation for a second year in a row due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, the religious affairs minister said.

"Due to the pandemic and for the safety of the pilgrims, the government has decided that this year it won't allow Indonesian pilgrims to go again," Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said in a statement.